UPDATE – Federal: CPA provides more comments on Clean Fuel Standard

On June 17, the CPA met with officials from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) to further discuss recommendations it made in March 2021. The CPA had filed comments with ECCC in response to a draft of the upcoming Clean Fuel Standards Regulations (CFS). The CPA made several recommendations around issues such as carbon intensity and credit generation. From the perspective of the CPA, it is important that in the development of the final regulations, ECCC provides a level playing field and does not create an atmosphere that produces winners and losers. 

Joining CPA President and CEO Nathalie St-Pierre at the meeting was CPA Board Chair Nancy Borden as well as senior officials Diana Spagnuolo with Superior Propane and Heidi Clifford with Irving Oil. The CPA used the meeting to further discuss concerns that had been identified in the March 4 recommendations and to ensure officials at ECCC were clear where the CPA stood on critical issues such as carbon intensity and credit generation. 

These concerns were itemized in a June 28 letter to ECCC officials in which the CPA also expressed concern that through the regulatory process, ECCC had determined that “LPG” was to be referenced for propane when used in the context of transportation. The CPA suggested that ECCC should use the term propane regardless of the application, or when it is used specifically for transportation, the term auto propane could be used.  

The final CFS regulations are scheduled to be published in fall 2021. ECCC has yet to determine if a federal election will cause the timeframe to be delayed, regardless, the CPA will continue its work on the CFS file.