NEW! ON: CPA inquiry on the exclusion of propane in government energy bill leads to meeting with officials

On September 2, 2020, CPA Vice-President Allan Murphy and Ontario Government Relations Director, Marcelline Riddell, spoke to Fuels Policy Branch staff from the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines for a market check-in and general discussion of the propane market in Ontario. The meeting was called as the result of an inquiry by Riddell on the rationale for excluding propane in a government energy bill relief program launched earlier during the emergency management period.

Participants in the call included Bill Greenizan, Fuels Policy Lead; Spencer Knipping, Fuels Policy Liaison; and Pauline Ross of the Emergency Management Division. Discussions included the propane market, and verification of information gathered over the past year as a result of the CN rail strike and rail blockades. Murphy and Riddell confirmed that these events highlighted the importance of propane in the province and the need for more ministry resources and knowledge devoted to it. The discussion focused on provincial distribution, storage and capacity information.

The government rolled out a COVID-19 Energy Assistance Relief Program (CEAP) in July 2020, providing $9 million for electricity and natural gas customers who were experiencing financial difficulty paying their energy bills. CEAP provided a one-time, on-bill credit to eligible residential electricity and natural gas customers to help them catch up on their energy bills and resume regular payments. The program is delivered directly by electricity distributors, gas distributors and unit sub-meter providers (USMP), as per rules laid out by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB).

In a discussion in late August 2020, the ministry’s Adrian Nalasco, director of the Fuels Policy Branch, told Riddell that the CEAP program was rolled out quickly to regulated energy organizations through the OEB as it was deemed the most cost-effective and efficient way to meet program objectives.

As a result, Riddell requested Nalasco and the ministry engage in a broader discussion with the CPA to ensure propane is considered and included in future government programs.

The CPA currently has a proposal before the federal government to study and identify gaps in the supply chain for propane in Canada. The CPA will continue to work with the ministry to share information on this vital matter.