CPA Advances Propane in Successive Meetings with BC Ministries
During the past few months, the CPA and BC Committee members launched meetings to advance propane to the BC Environment, Energy, and Transportation and Infrastructure Ministries. Key topics included exploring how propane can play a role in reducing BC’s transportation-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, presently accounting for 39% of its emissions.
The first meeting took place on March 15 with BC Environment Minister Mary Polak and her Chief of Staff Martina Kapac de Frias. The CPA and BC Committee members Brian Osland and Willie Stephen discussed how propane can make an immediate impact on the BC government’s GHG reduction targets. The ministry was receptive to the proposals offered, which included adding alternative fuel vehicles to the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane to motivate drivers to switch to more GHG friendly driving practices, as well as the environmental and economic benefits in return to base fleet operations.
The CPA then met with BC Energy Minister Bill Bennett and Assistant Deputy Minister Les MacLaren on March 29 to further discuss the effectiveness of propane in return to base fleet operations. Bob Gill, Automotive Supervisor from UPS Canada, joined the meeting to share the UPS story on propane autogas. UPS has over 1,000 propane autogas powered package cars in Canada, equating to 41% of their fleet. UPS made a positive impact on the Energy Ministry, stating that the economics and environmental benefits of propane have been so favourable that they plan to increase their propane autogas cars to 50% within the next 18 months.
Following these meetings, the CPA engaged with Allan Callander, Manager, Active Transportation and Climate Action Policy of the Transportation Policy Branch with the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. The CPA discussed how propane can significantly reduce BC’s GHG emissions in both fleet and personal applications, as well as the merits of including alternative fuels in the HOV lane. The ministry is currently studying the recent addition of electric vehicles to HOV lanes to gauge their effectiveness. He added that they are open to further exploring the impact propane could make on BC’s "transportation vision".
The CPA will keep propane on the radar as the BC transportation blueprint continues to be developed and the BC provincial election is underway in early May.