NOTRA has an extensive explosives emergency response capability which includes qualified explosives specialists across the country, blast engineers and associated modelling, and explosives risk assessment specialists.

Examples of previous experience includes:

• Remediation of blasting caps and dynamite at abandoned Dew Line sites in the Canadian North in support of Qikiqtaaluk Environmental decommissioning operations;
• Neutralization of dried picric acid at Métal7 in Sept-Îles (Québec) Canada;
• Disposal of UXO in Chaulk River for AECL;
• Geophysical survey of a prairie farm where UXO was found.

NOTRA is presently providing emergency response support under the umbrella of two (2) sets of contracts:

• Department of National Defence (DND) - Unexploded Ordinance (UXO) Legacy Sites Program; and;
• Canadian Emergency Response Contractors’ Alliance (CERCA) contractors.

Unexploded Ordinance (UXO) Legacy Sites Program

The DND UXO and Legacy Sites Program, created in 2005, works to reduce safety risks posed by UXO at legacy sites across Canada.  A legacy site is any property not owned by DND that contains UXO, regardless of the origin of the UXO. The program identifies and catalogues such sites, assesses risks, and works to reduce UXO risk through property controls, assessment surveys, UXO clearance operations, and public education. At some sites where the potential risk is significant, public safety may be ensured by restricting access to the sites and conducting survey and clearance operations. 

The objective of this contact RFP is to provide UXO services or other risk mitigation activities to DND at sites located in any province or territory in Canada including the following services:

• UXO avoidance;
• UXO surface clearance;
• UXO subsurface clearance;
• UXO survey/investigation;
• expert advice, comment and services related to UXO; or
• Any combination of the previous five tasks at sites potentially located on land or under water.

Canadian Emergency Response Contractors’ Alliance (CERCA)

The Canadian Emergency Response Contractors’ Alliance (CERCA) is an industry association comprised of stakeholders from all facets of the Canadian dangerous goods emergency response industry.  NOTRA is approved by Transport Canada to provide explosives emergency response capabilities and is under contract with Echelon/Quantum Emergency Response and MD-UN / RSR.