UPDATE – ON: TSSA’s new fee structure

As members know, on May 1, 2021 Ontario’s Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) imposed its new fee structure for regulated industries.

Propane businesses received the new fee schedule for their operations in late April 2021, and reported increases of at least 20-40 per cent across the board. For some applications, such as bulk plants with two 30,000 (USWG) tanks and an ancillary dispenser on site, fees more than doubled from $5,500 to $12,000, due to the new category bands established.

At the April 21, 2021 Ontario Committee meeting, TSSA’s Director of Fuels, Sam Sadeghi, heard from many members on the significantly higher costs the new structure represents for their operations. Sadeghi requested members provide him with examples for further analysis and follow-up. Since then, CPA President and CEO, Nathalie St-Pierre, has contacted the TSSA’s Vice-President of Stakeholder Relations, Alexandra Campbell, seeking revision to the fee schedule in the immediate term to rectify the identified inequities.

In her response, Campbell indicated that TSSA is willing to work with the CPA and the propane sector on this issue. However, her message was clear that any changes TSSA would consider would not be implemented immediately but in future fee schedule rollouts. 

Therefore, on May 10, 2021, St-Pierre and former Board Chair, Dan Kelly, sent a letter to the Minister Responsible, the Honourable Lisa Thompson, requesting her intervention on the sector’s behalf with respect to this issue.

In their letter, St-Pierre and Kelly state that “Despite TSSA assurances during consultation sessions that the new structure would represent increases no greater than the rate of inflation, CPA members report the new structure translates into increases of 20-40 per cent across the board, some peaking at 90 to 125 per cent and translating into tens of thousands of additional dollars to be paid to TSSA, with no corresponding commitment to service improvement or safety outcomes. The letter stresses that the TSSA’s moves are not in line with the government’s burden reduction and red tape cutting measures, and are not good for Ontario businesses, especially now.

St-Pierre, Kelly and Ontario Government Relations Director, Marcelline Riddell, will meet with Minister Thompson to discuss this issue and the need for immediate redress on Monday, May 31,2021. Members will be kept informed as new information becomes available.