Online notification and permit system for hazardous waste import/export

Environment Canada has implemented a secure online system to enable regulatees to submit notifications and obtain official permits online under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and the Export and Import of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable Material Regulations.

Through the system you can save notices, track the status of your submissions, obtain electronic copies of official documents (e.g. permits), search past completed submissions, and clone (reuse) draft and submitted notices. Once you have set up your account, you will be able to reuse the information in future notices.

The Online Notification and Permit System, only available for import and export permits at this time, is a convenient alternative to submitting a paper Administrative Notice Form by mail, registered mail, email, fax, or courier. Notifications for transits, re-routings, returns, and requests for amendments must continue to be submitted via email, mail, registered mail, fax, or courier until further notice. For more information on the notification procedures and who must notify, please see section 5 of the EIHWHRMR User Guide.

For more information on the features of the system and how to use it, please refer to the following guidance:

• Features of the System
• Getting Started

Features of the System

Dashboard: The Dashboard lists all of the notices that your organization has completed and submitted to Environment Canada for processing, as well as draft notices. Here you can track the status of the notices and when an official document is available in the system to be downloaded. The information is displayed in a table that can be printed or exported to Excel. To filter the table to bring up a particular notice or all notices with a particular importer, for example, enter the Notice Reference Number or name of the importer in the “Filter items” field provided. The system will search all of the columns for the text that you entered in the field. All of the columns can also be sorted in ascending or descending order by clicking on the small up and down arrows found at the top of every column.

Notice Reference Number: The Notice Reference Number is assigned automatically once the notice has been validated and submitted to Environment Canada. Once assigned, the Notice Reference Number will appear in the first column of the table on the Dashboard, as well as at the top of the screen when you view the notice. Therefore if you choose to use the online system, you no longer need to contact Environment Canada by phone or email to obtain a Notice Reference Number.

Notifier’s File Number: When you start a new notice, on the first tab (Basic Info) you have the option to add a unique file number called the Notifier’s File Number. This is a useful feature if you have your own tracking system. The Notifier’s File Number is required to clone a draft notice.

Validate: At the bottom of each tab in the notice, there is a “Validate” button. When you click on this button, the system will run a validation test to see if there is any missing or invalid information on the tab. It is recommended that you validate each tab of the notice so that you can correct errors as you go. When you get to the last tab (“Submit Notice”), the system will run a complete validation test on the notice before you can sign and officially submit the notice for processing.

Save/Continue: The system only saves your work when you click on “Save/Continue” at the bottom of each tab of the notice. If you navigate away from a tab without clicking on “Save/Continue”, you will lose any information that you entered. After 20 minutes of inactivity, the system will log you out and any unsaved work will be lost. Therefore it is recommended that you save your work frequently.

Notice Statuses: There are four notice statuses that appear in the table on your Dashboard: “In Progress” and “Submitted” which appear under the column “Notifier’s Last Action” and “Under Review” and “Completed” which appear under the column “EC Last Action”.

Clone Notices: When you click on “Start New Single Notice”, accessible from the top menu bar of the system, you have the option to start a new notice from the beginning or clone any of your notices that have already been submitted to Environment Canada or are still a draft. To clone a draft notice, you must first fill in the Notifier’s File Number field on the Basic Info tab of the notice. To clone a notice, select the Notice Reference Number or the Notifier’s File Number from the drop-down list provided and then press “Clone Notice”. The system will make an exact copy of the notice so that you can reuse the information rather than start a new notice from the beginning. The only information that is not copied is the first and last shipment dates and the attachments. Any of the fields can be changed before you submit the notice to Environment Canada.

Manage My Info: The Manage My Info section, accessible from the top menu bar of the screen, is where you manage the information for the Canadian exporter/importer, and all of the foreign receivers/exporters, authorized carriers, and authorized facilities that you may need to add to a given notice. See Getting Started: Step 4 below for more information on managing your information.

Submit Changes: Once you have submitted a notice, the system allows you to make changes and “re-submit” the revised notice to Environment Canada. A notice can be revised as many times as necessary up until the notice status has changed to “Completed”. To revise a notice, click on the Notice Reference Number in the table on your dashboard and then click on “Edit/View Notice” in the top right-hand corner of the screen. When you are done editing the notice, click on the “Submit Notice” tab to re-submit the notice.

Delete Notice: Notices can only be deleted when the status is “In Progress”. To delete a notice, click on the Notice Reference Number in thetable on your Dashboard and then press “Delete Notice”. The next screen will ask you to re-confirm that you want to delete the notice just in case you accidentally opened the wrong one. If you are sure you want to delete the notice, click on “Delete Notice”. To delete a notice that has already been submitted to Environment Canada, please contact 1-844-524-5295.

Find Notice: The “Find Notice” feature, accessible from the top menu bar of the screen, allows you to search all of the notices that belong to any organizations for which you have access to in Environment Canada's Single Window system. You can refine your search with the criteria provided, such as permit type, exporter name and importer name. 

Official Documents: When Environment Canada issues an official document for a notice (e.g. acknowledgement of receipt, permit), the document in PDF format will be uploaded into the system and an email will be sent to the contact on the Canadian Exporter tab or Canadian Importer tab, depending on the type of permit. To view or download an official document, open the notice from the table on the Dashboard or the search results on the Find Notice page, and then click on the “Official Documents” tab. All of the official documents that have been issued will be listed with links. Simply click on the link to view or save the document.

Bulk Upload: Companies who want to submit more than one notice at the same time to Environment Canada can use the Bulk Upload option. In this option, a company designs its own system to produce an XML file that includes all of the information for multiple import or export notices. The company then uploads the XML file and the necessary attachments to the Online Notification and Permit System, and submits the entire package to Environment Canada. Environment Canada will receive and process each notice individually. Similar to the online submission of single notices, the company is able to track the status of each notice submitted by bulk upload on its Dashboard.

Getting Started

Step 1: Sign in to Environment Canada’s Single Window and Create Your Profiles
Step 2: Launch the Online Notification and Permit System
Step 3: Choose Option A or Option B for Submitting Your Notices
Step 4: Manage My Info
Step 5: Start New Single Notice
Step 6: Complete the Notice
Step 7: Submit the Notice
Step 8: Submitting a Bulk Upload

Step 1: Sign in to Environment Canada’s Single Window and Create Your Profiles

The Online Notification and Permit System is accessed through Environment Canada’s Single Window web site. The Single Window system consists of three components: GCKey, Single Window Information Manager (SWIM) and various online systems used by Environment Canada programs, including the Online Notification and Permit System for the Export and Import of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable Material Regulations.

Sign in with a GCKey

Go to Environment Canada’s Single Window web site. The first screen on the Single Window web site provides two options to sign in. Click on “Continue to GCKey”. Sign in if you already have a GCKey. If this is your first time using the Single Window system, click on “Register for a new GCKey” and follow the instructions on the screens. Once you have finished, press “Continue”. You are now logged in SWIM.

Managing your User and Organization Profiles in SWIM

If you already have an existing user profile associated with your GCKey, make sure it is up-to-date.

If you have entered SWIM for the first time, please follow the instructions in Tutorial 1 of the Single Window User Guide to complete your user profile.  

The next step is to link your user profile to an organization and to complete your organization’s profile. Click on “Organizations” in the left-hand menu and follow the instructions in Tutorial 2 and Tutorial 3 of the Single Window User Guide.

Note: It is important that you add as much information as possible in your user profile and your organization(s) profile(s) even though there are minimal mandatory fields (e.g. business number). This is because the Online Notification and Permit System pulls some of the information and it can only be edited in SWIM. Ensuring your profiles are complete and accurate in SWIM first will save you time when you fill out the online notice form in the Online Notification and Permit System.

If you have any questions about Single Window or setting up your profiles, please refer to the Single Window User Guide or contact the Single Window team by email at ec.gigu-swim.ec@canada.ca.

Step 2: Launch the Online Notification and Permit System

Once you have finished creating/updating your profiles in SWIM, click on the “Home” hyperlink, located at the top of the left-hand menu in SWIM, and then click on Export and Import of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable Material Regulations in the list of modules on the SWIM Home page. The next screen will be the Dashboard of the Online Notification and Permit System.

Step 3: Choose Option A or Option B for Submitting Your Notices

Option A is about building a library of information that will allow you to create or clone single notices and submit them to Environment Canada one at the time. If you choose Option A, refer to steps 4 to 7 only.

Option B is about designing your own system to produce an XML file that includes the information for multiple import or export notices that will be submitted to Environment Canada at the same time. If you choose Option B, proceed directly to step 8.

Step 4: Manage My Info

Before you begin working on a notice in the online system, it is recommended that you go to the Manage My Info section, accessible from the top menu bar on the Dashboard. This is where you will enter the information for the Canadian exporter/importer and any additional Canadian shipping/receiving sites, if required, as well as all of the foreign receivers/exporters, authorized carriers, and authorized facilities that you may need to add to any given notice. Once the information is entered in Manage My Info, it will be available to be added to individual notices, as required, but it always remains in the Manage My Info section.

When you click on “Manage My Info”, the first screen will ask you to select an organization from the drop-down list. The names of the organizations that your profile is connected to in SWIM will appear in this list. If the name you want to select is not in the list, you will need to ensure that your user profile is connected to the appropriate organization in SWIM before continuing.

Manage My Info Tabs:

• Canadian Exporter/Importer: This tab contains two sections: My Organization and Canadian Shipping/Receiving Sites. Click on “Edit” in the table under My Organization to manage the information for the Canadian exporter/importer on the notice. Some information on this tab is pre-filled from SWIM: name, mailing address, contacts, and business number (business number is pulled from SWIM for organizations, but not for facilities). If you need to update this information, you need to go back to SWIM (refer to the Single Window User Guide for assistance). The information for the shipping/receiving sites owned by the Canadian exporter/importer, as well as the Canadian exporter/importer’s registration number(s) and insurance policy, must be entered manually.
  
  To add a shipping/receiving site that is located in Canada but owned by a different company other than the Canadian exporter/importer, click on “Create New Shipping/Receiving Site” and fill out the form. Each time you create a new shipping/receiving site, it will appear in a table under Canadian Shipping/Receiving Sites, with links to edit and remove it from the system.
  
• Foreign Receiver/Exporter: This tab is where you manage the information for all of the foreign companies that need to appear on your notices as either the foreign receiver or the foreign exporter, depending on the type of permit. To add a foreign company, click on “Create New Foreign Receiver/Exporter” and fill out the form. Each time you create a new foreign receiver/exporter, it will appear in a table with links to edit and remove it from the system.
  
• Authorized Carriers: This tab is where you manage the information for all of the carriers that need to appear on your notices. To add a carrier, click on “Create New Authorized Carrier” and fill out the form. Each time you create a new carrier, it will appear in a table with links to edit and remove it from the system.
  
• Authorized Facilities: An authorized facility is required when the notice includes any hazardous waste or hazardous recyclable materials that will be disposed of or recycled using an interim operation. This tab is where you manage the information for the authorized facilities that will carry out the final disposal or recycling of the waste or recyclable materials on your notices using a final operation other than D13, D14, D17, R12, R13 or R16. If the facility is authorized to carry out more than one type of disposal or recycling operation, select all of the codes that apply. Each time you create a new authorized facility, it will appear in a table with links to edit and remove it from the system.

Changing, Deleting, or Adding Information in Manage My Info:

If you make changes to any information in Manage My Info, including deletions, the changes will be applied automatically to any notice in progress that has not yet been submitted to Environment Canada. Changes are not applied to notices that have been submitted to Environment Canada. Any new information that is added in Manage My Info while a notice is in progress, for example a new carrier, will not be added automatically to the notice. If you want to add the new carrier to the draft notice, you will need to open the notice and select the carrier from the drop-down list available on the Authorized Carriers tab.

Step 5: Start New Single Notice

Click on “Start New Single Notice” in the top menu bar to begin working on an export or import notice. You can either start a new export or import notice from the beginning or clone an existing draft or submitted online notice.

If you choose to start a new notice from the beginning, the name of the Canadian exporter/importer, depending on the type of permit, is pulled from SWIM. If your profile is connected to more than one organization in SWIM, you will be provided with a drop-down list of organizations. Click on the name of the organization for which you want to submit a notice.

Next, select the type of permit and then select one of the following three treatment options (a separate notice must be completed for each option selected, even if the rest of the information on the notice is the same):

• Option 1: Disposal, Schedule 1 of the Regulations, if the waste is destined for disposal,
• Option 2: Recycling, Schedule 2 of the Regulations, if the material is destined for recycling,
• Option 3: Recycling, Pre-Approved Facility, if the hazardous recyclable material is destined for recycling at a pre-approved facility (Pre-approval is discussed further in section 13 of the EIHWHRMR User Guide).

When you are done, press “Start Notice”. Note: Once you have pressed "Start Notice", the selections that you made on this screen cannot be changed. If you need to change a selection, you will need to delete the notice and start a new one.

Once you have started a new notice, it will always be accessible from the table on the Dashboard.

Step 6: Complete the Notice

The online notice is divided into separate tabs. See section 5.8 of the EIHWHRMR User Guide for detailed instructions on how to complete each tab or send an email to notification@ec.gc.ca for assistance.

When you have completed a tab, click on “Validate”, correct the errors, if any, and then press “Save/Continue” to move to the next tab in the notice. After 20 minutes of inactivity, the system will log you out and any unsaved work will be lost. Therefore it is recommended that you save your work frequently.

Step 7: Submit the Notice

Once you have completed all of the tabs in the notice and uploaded your attachments, click on the “Submit Notice” tab. The system will run a complete validation test on the notice. If there are any errors, they will be displayed on the screen and you will need to go back and fix them. When the notice passes validation, you will see a preview of the entire notice. Review the notice one last time to make sure all of the information is accurate. When you are ready to submit the notice, check the box indicating that you have read the “Statement of Person Submitting the Notice”, enter your name and telephone number and then press “Submit”.

Note: The name of the person submitting the notice is the name that appears in the top left-hand corner of the permit.

Step 8: Submitting a Bulk Upload

First, make sure that your own system is designed to produce XML files that are compatible with the requirements set by Environment Canada. The XML file needs to conform to the structure described in the XSD and the rules outlined in the XML Data Exchange Guide. This technical documentation is available in the Submit Bulk Upload section accessible from the top menu bar of the Online Notification and Permit System. Steps to access the system are specified in section 6.3 of the EIHWHRMR User Guide. Second, when you are ready to submit a bulk upload, log in to the Online Notification and Permit System.

Once in the system, click on “Submit Bulk Upload” in the top menu bar to begin working on your upload and then click on “Start a New Bulk Upload”. If your profile is authorized to be connected to more than one organization, select the organization from the drop-down menu for which the XML file will be submitted , press “Browse” to locate the XML file that you wish to submit, and then press “Upload”. The file will then be validated. Any errors will appear on the screen and all errors must be corrected before the XML file can submitted.

The Bulk Upload Attachments tab is where you upload all of the attachments that are specified in the XML file under the data elements <supportingNoticeDocumentation>, <supportingInsuranceDocumentation>, and <supportingContractDocumentation>. Attachments can be only uploaded in PDF format. To upload an attachment, press “Browse” to locate the file, and then press “Upload” to attach the file to the submission. The file names of the PDFs must match the names specified in the XML file exactly. See section 5.8.9 of the EIHWHRMR User Guide for information on the types of documents that are required for the submission of a notice and that could be required as an attachment in a bulk upload of notices.

When you are ready to submit the XML file and the attachments to Environment Canada, click on the Submission Details tab, check the boxes indicating that you have read and agree to both statements, enter your name and telephone number, and press “Submit Bulk Upload”.

Once the XML file and the attachments have been submitted to Environment Canada, every notice contained in the XML file will be assigned a notice reference number automatically. You can view each notice and track their status anytime from the table on your Dashboard.