Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory

The Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory (CERL) within the Explosives Branch of the Minerals and Metals Sector at NRCan is the only Canadian government laboratory dealing with commercial explosives and equipment for use in hazardous locations, and one of the few in the world.

Explosives, including propellants and pyrotechnics, are used in a wide variety of applications that touch our everyday lives in many ways. Explosives are vital to the economy of Canada and the well-being of Canadians.

Explosives are used:

• by the mining industry to extract ore and discover orebodies;
• by the oil and gas industries to build pipelines;
• by the forestry industry to build roads;
• by the construction industry to build roads and highways;
• by the aerospace industry to fuel the rockets that put satellites in space;
• by the fireworks and indoor pyrotechnics industries in the manufacture of their products;
• by the automotive industry as propellants for air bags;
• to control avalanches; and
• for many other applications.

If used unwisely or improperly, explosives can be extremely dangerous. Much of the work at CERL is aimed at protecting Canadians by improving the safety and security of explosives during manufacture, transportation and use, and by reducing the harmful effects of explosions.

Our work at CERL is diverse, with many different applications, from testing whether a product can be used safely in explosive atmospheres to reducing the effects of accidental or terrorist blasts. CERL offers client services in two broad areas: Explosives and Equipment Certification, and Explosives Safety and Security Technology.