UPDATE – ON: TSSA proposals for underground propane tanks installation, application process and fees under review

On May 2, 2022, impacted members and CPA staff met with Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) representatives to review the Authority’s proposals regarding the application process and fees for installing underground propane tanks in Ontario. 

The CPA seeks input from members on the application process and timelines suggested by the TSSA. Please forward your comments to Marcelline Riddell, Government relations Director for Ontario at marcellineriddell@propane.ca by Friday, May 20, 2022.

The TSSA proposes:

1. The engineering review for buried propane tanks follows a process like the one used for Liquid Fuel Underground Storage Tanks, including:

• Completion of an Authority Having Jurisdiction submission form and the provision of a site plan, equipment list, installation process and certified installation personnel.
• Review and registration of inventory by an engineer. Once a manufacturer’s tank has been reviewed by engineering, TSSA does not expect to undertake “much” of a review of the same equipment and installation process in other applications.
• Provision of an approval and registration letter to the contractor and owner.
• Aiming for approvals within ten business days once a steady state is achieved.

2. The inspection process would comprise a 12-point checklist of activities, the same as liquid fuels.

3. Fees charged are expected to be lower than current rates and would cover TSSA engineering and inspection activities.

This issue was raised after changes to the 2020 Code Adoption Document (CAD section 1.16 – clause 7.8.1) for propane storage and handling, resulting in revised TSSA processes and associated costs that came into effect in February 2021. Propane businesses wishing to install underground tanks for residential clients have since been subject to a variance process request and fees of approximately $1,200 per installation.

At a meeting on March 3, 2022, TSSA representatives admitted the Authority was inadequately prepared to administer this new requirement and that treating underground tank applications as variances was incorrect. TSSA Statutory Director of Fuels Safety Program, Sam Sadeghi, and Engineering Manager, Fuels Safety Program, Gary Highfield, indicated a willingness to work with the industry on more equitable treatment and fee structure for these installations.