Working with Canadian Provincial Safety Authorities for CRN Registration

Reviewed by CRN expert team · Last updated: October 23, 2026

Canada's decentralized pressure equipment regulation system means each province and territory has its own safety authority. Kopfkino Consulting prepares submissions for these authorities and manages authority correspondence on behalf of our clients.

TSSA: Ontario

TSSA administers Ontario CRN registration. TSSA receives boiler and pressure vessel engineering applications, including National Service requests, through the TSSA Client Portal. TSSA states that design registrations submitted after February 1, 2025 without the mandatory supporting documents will not be processed, and that all fees are non-refundable. When a reviewer needs more information the work order is placed on hold; TSSA states that if an applicant does not provide all requested information or documents within 21 calendar days, the application will be closed and denied.

• Submission route: TSSA Client Portal
• Mandatory supporting documents as listed in the TSSA guideline for the application type
• Boiler and pressure vessel designs must bear the signature and seal of a professional engineer licensed under Ontario's Professional Engineers Act (O. Reg. 220/01, s. 4(3))
• Authority review time depends on the regulator, the equipment category and how complete the file is. Several authorities do not publish a standard review time. TSSA states that expedited engineering services are no longer available except for unforeseen, emergency situations

ABSA: Alberta

ABSA receives design submissions through its electronic CRN Portal. A design surveyor reviews the package and issues written comments with a response date; the submission is placed on hold until the comments are addressed, and further questions may follow. ABSA publishes a Registered Design (CRN) Directory, searchable by exact CRN, and a Design Submission Status Directory, searchable by tracking number.

• Written design survey comments, each with a response date
• Form AB-31 Design Registration Application, with AB-31a (vessels, heat exchangers, boilers) or AB-31b (pressure piping), AB-31c for national registration, AB-41 or AB-351 for fittings, and AB-96 for pressure piping
• Authority review time depends on the regulator, the equipment category and how complete the file is. Several authorities do not publish a standard review time.

TSBC: British Columbia

Technical Safety BC uses an online portal. Applications go through the Technical Safety BC Design Registration Portal, which uses an account separate from Online Services. Technical Safety BC states that professional engineers involved in designing regulated equipment must authenticate the design and that all licensed professional engineers sign the Qualified Professional Declaration on each application. A design already registered in another province is submitted for reciprocal registration under the CRN Reconciliation Agreement, in force since January 1, 2020. Seismic analysis may be required. Authority review time depends on the regulator, the equipment category and how complete the file is. Several authorities do not publish a standard review time.

ACI Central: Atlantic Canada and the Territories

ACI Central Inc., a not-for-profit organization in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, has supported pressure equipment design registration since 1993. ACI Central states that its process is maintained with the participating regulators of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. New CRN applications are submitted online through the ACI Central portal, which also offers a CRN database search and application tracking. The Yukon government page directs manufacturers to submit design documents to the Yukon chief mechanical inspector, so confirm the route for a territorial registration before filing.

• Participating regulators named by ACI Central: PE, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU
• Online submission, CRN database search and application tracking at acicrn.com
• Yukon also publishes a direct route to its chief mechanical inspector

Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec

Saskatchewan (TSASK) requires design applications to be submitted through its Design Submission Portal and publishes a standard turnaround of 6 weeks for non-expedited design submissions; it also offers data report registration in lieu of a CRN, which yields a Saskatchewan SK number rather than a CRN. Manitoba's Inspection and Technical Services (ITS), Manitoba Labour and Immigration, accepts design submissions electronically only, by email to QASupport@gov.mb.ca, following bulletin ITS 20-003. In Quebec, the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) registers designs under the Regulation respecting pressure installations (chapter B-1.1, r. 6.1), which adopts CSA B51 as its manufacturing code; designs for pressure vessels and boilers must be signed by an engineer, and applications are sent by email, one email per design. RBQ currently states that its processing times are longer than usual.

Related: CRN registration route matrix and document readiness

Official Sources

• Ontario: Boilers and Pressure Vessels Regulation (O. Reg. 220/01)
• TSSA: Mandatory Supporting Documents for Boilers and Pressure Vessels Engineering Applications
• ABSA: Design Registration Forms
• ABSA: Directories
• Technical Safety BC: Design Registration
• Yukon: Register a Boiler or Pressure Vessel
• TSASK: Design Registration
• Quebec: Regulation respecting pressure installations (B-1.1, r. 6.1)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I communicate directly with the authority?

Kopfkino manages all authority correspondence as part of our standard service. Direct client contact during our engagement can create conflicting information and delay reviews.

Do I need a provincial P.Eng. for each province?

It depends on the authority and the equipment. Ontario requires boiler and pressure vessel designs to bear the seal of an engineer licensed under Ontario's Professional Engineers Act (O. Reg. 220/01, s. 4(3)). Quebec requires designs for pressure vessels and boilers to be signed by an engineer (Regulation respecting pressure installations). Technical Safety BC requires licensed professional engineers to sign the Qualified Professional Declaration. Confirm the requirement with each authority before the package is assembled. Kopfkino's engineering team holds P.Eng. licences covering the major submission jurisdictions.

"The single most expensive CRN mistake we see is treating registration as an afterthought. Design for CRN from day one: pick your provinces early, align the calculations with CSA B51 before the drawings are finalized."