Controlled Goods Program roadmap

Need help getting started? Use this tool that summarizes the registration process and the 8 steps of program compliance.

About controlled goods

Controlled goods are primarily goods, including components and technical data that have military or national security significance, which are controlled domestically by the Government of Canada and defined in the Defence Production Act.

Consult a detailed list of controlled goods in the Defence Production Act for further clarification.

Determine if you need to register in the Controlled Goods Program

The Defence Production Act and the Controlled Goods Regulations stipulate that individuals and organizations must register in the Controlled Goods Program (CGP) to examine, possess or transfer controlled goods. There is no direct cost to register in the CGP. However, you may incur administrative costs when complying with the Defence Production Act.

Before starting your registration, determine if you or your organization is eligible to register.

Verify if you are exempt from registration by consulting Exemptions from registration in the Controlled Goods Program.

If you establish that you or your organization is eligible to register, you can start the process.

Registration process

Explore a summary of the steps you must follow to register in the CGP.

In this section

• Appoint an authorized individual
• Appoint a designated official
• Complete the application for registration form
• Complete a security assessment application form for each required individual
• Submit your application

Appoint an authorized individual

You must appoint an authorized individual. This is usually the owner or another senior official of the organization.

Their responsibilities include:

• ensuring that a designated official is appointed for each place of business in Canada where controlled goods are examined, possessed or transferred
• signing to approve any changes in any of the information contained in the application for registration

Before being appointed, this individual must:

• agree to, and sign, the application for registration
• consent to a security assessment conducted by the program
• undergo a criminal record check

Appoint a designated official

You must appoint a designated official within your organization. Their responsibility is to ensure that employees, officers and directors are properly assessed and authorized before they can examine, possess or transfer controlled goods.

Before your registration is approved, this individual must:

• consent to a security assessment conducted by the CGP
• complete the mandatory designated official training

Complete the application for registration form

You must now complete the application for registration form. You must provide information about:

• your organization
• the controlled goods you will be examining, possessing or transferring
• the names of the authorized individual, designated officials, owners and business officials

You may complete either an electronic or a paper copy of the form.

Application for registration (PDF, 592KB)

Complete a security assessment application form for each required individual

The CGP will conduct security assessments of individuals with the following roles in the organization. Individuals require only 1 application, regardless of how many roles they hold within the organization.

Designated officials, authorized individuals and company owners (holding 20% or more of the outstanding voting shares or interests of the business) must each submit:

• a completed security assessment application (PDF, 436KB) form (PWGSC-TPSGC 465-2e)
• a copy/scan of 2 pieces of government-issued identification (of which at least 1 must be photo identification):
  • proof of citizenship (for example: birth certificate, passport, permanent resident card)
  • proof of residence (for example: driver's licence, government-issued document with address)

Designated officials must also submit a certified criminal record check based on fingerprints.

Authorized individuals and company owners must also submit 1 of the following:

• certified criminal record check based on fingerprints
• name-based criminal record check verified against the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)'s Canadian Police Information Centre system

At this stage, you must ensure that all sections of the forms have been properly completed, and that required supporting documentation has been included. To help you do so, please use the following checklists. Incomplete applications will be returned.

• Checklist for security assessment application of authorized individuals or an owner with 20% or more voting shares or interests
• Checklist for a security assessment application of a designated official
• Checklist for security assessment application of employees, officers or directors who will examine, possess or transfer controlled good (conducted by a designated official)

Submit your application

Submit your registration and security assessment applications forms by email, fax or mail to the CGP.

Contact the Controlled Goods Program

Processing time

An application for registration, along with all supporting documentation, may take up to 32 business days to process. Applications deemed incomplete during the registration process will take longer to process.

You may contact the CGP about the status of your registration after a 4-week waiting period.

Approved applications

If your application is approved, the program will issue you a certificate of registration that sets out the period for which the registration is valid and the conditions under which you may examine, possess or transfer controlled goods.

Rejected or denied applications

If your application is rejected or denied, the program will notify you of the reasons for the decision.

Consequences of failing to comply with the program’s regulations

Any person or organization who fails to comply with the Controlled Goods Regulations are subject to:

• having their registration with the CGP suspended or revoked
• facing prosecution for failing to comply and be subject to a fine not exceeding $2,000,000, and/or imprisonment not exceeding 10 years

Comply with the Controlled Goods Program registration requirements

Registered persons in the CGP are responsible for maintaining compliance and advising the program of any changes to the original registration information. This includes the obligation to contact the Controlled Goods Program to report any changes in the details of the ownership structure of a registered person. These ownership details may include a change of:

• an individual owner
• a corporate owner
• an owner’s address
• the percentage break-down of ownership

Other examples of changes that must be reported to the program include, but are not limited to:

• a new location or addition of a new site where controlled goods will be kept
• changes to officers, directors, authorized individuals, or designated officials

Steps to program compliance

Learn more about the 8 steps registrants must follow to comply with the CGP registration requirements.

Program compliance wheel

• Image description

  A cycle-diagram identifies the 8 steps that registrants must follow to comply with the CGP registration requirements.

  1. Security assess
  2. Apply for exemption
  3. Provide training
  4. Keep records
  5. Develop security plan
  6. Prepare for inspection
  7. Report key information
  8. Renew or terminate registration

More about the 8 steps to program compliance

1. Conduct security assessments of employees who will examine, possess or transfer controlled goods and submit security assessment applications of new designated officials, authorized individuals and owners for approval
2. Find out who may be excluded or exempt from registration (and apply for exemption, if applicable)
3. Provide training and conduct security briefings of employees for the secure handling of controlled goods
4. Maintain records of controlled goods, security assessments and supporting documentation, exemptions and the transfer and disposal of controlled goods
5. Develop a security plan to comply with the Defence Production Act and Controlled Goods Regulations
6. Prepare for a controlled goods compliance inspection
7. Report key information to the CGP
   • all confirmed or suspected security breaches involving controlled goods
   • a report, every 6 months, of all employees security assessed within the previous 6 months using the security assessments 6-month report template
   • amend registration by reporting any change to organization ownership or structure, including but not limited to, changes to personnel, authorized individual or designated official
8. Renew or terminate your registration if you or your organization no longer examine, possess or transfer controlled goods

More information

• Contact the Controlled Goods Program
• Register in the Controlled Goods Program