An October report from the Western Canadian Shippers Coalition says Canada’s federally regulated supply chains are facing frequent and costly labour disruptions. In 2023–2024 alone, the transportation sector saw 62 work stoppages involving nearly 20,000 workers.

Major shutdowns at ports, railways, and seaways—such as those in Vancouver and Montreal—have caused prolonged supply chain delays, often taking up to three months to fully recover. These disruptions have undermined Canada’s reputation as a reliable trading partner and raised concerns about long-term competitiveness. With upcoming legislative changes under Bill C-58, stakeholders warn that restrictions such as banning replacement workers could increase costs, weaken resilience, and heighten economic vulnerability in critical sectors. For a copy of the report please contact CPA VP Government Relations West Katie Kachur.

The CPA Board of Directors met in Victoria on October 22, 2025, which included a meeting with Premier David Eby. The discussion covered expanding propane exports, along with domestic market opportunities and policies such as home heating programs, the provincial motor fuel tax and value-added opportunities. This advocacy and future work will continue at the B.C. Committee level.

On October 20, the CPA submitted details to the Alberta government on three interprovincial trade barrier challenges. These barriers are also outlined in the CPA’s federal submission: Canadian-Propane-Association-Consultation-on-the-Free-Trade-and-Labour-Mobility-in-Canada-Act.pdf. CPA’s VP Government Relations West Katie Kachur will keep the Alberta Committee apprised of the government’s response and next steps.

For the premier’s and ministers’ staff, the October Order in Council sets the total value of gifts or benefits at $100 (down from $250) and establishes an approval process for tickets or invitations. Visit here for more details.

Following the 2025 Ontario provincial election, the CPA called on the government to improve labour mobility and remove interprovincial trade barriers.  The association is pleased to see the provincial government follow through on its commitment to increase labour mobility for certified workers, including gas technicians.

Regulations for the new “As of Right” process under Bill 2, Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act, 2025, are scheduled to take effect January 1, 2026.

These will:

• Confirm within 10 business days that certified workers from other provinces are deemed certified to work in Ontario (after submitting registration documents).
• Allow certified workers to work for up to six months while completing their full registration.
• Require regulatory authorities to make certification decisions within 30 days of receiving a full application.
• Eliminate the need for additional exams or assessments.

In addition, Bill 56, Building a More Competitive Economy Act, 2025 (recently passed through the Legislature) amends the Ontario Labour Mobility Act, 2009 to ensure certified workers from across Canada are deemed to be certified when applying to work in Ontario.

These actions are a significant step forward, making it easier for CPA members to do business in Ontario and deliver propane to rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.

For more information, visit the Technical Standards & Safety Authority (TSSA) web page: Out-of-Province Certificate Holders.

The CPA extends its thanks to both the TSSA and Premier Ford’s team for listening to industry concerns and addressing this critical issue for Ontario’s propane sector.

The CPA was pleased to participate in the Celebrate Manitoba Reception on November 5, 2025. The event brought together important voices in Manitoba’s agricultural sector, including Keystone Agricultural Producers, Manitoba Pork Council and Manitoba Canola Growers Association.

The event was well attended by elected officials from the municipal and provincial governments, providing an opportunity to highlight the important role propane plays in the province’s agricultural sector, including crop drying and barn heating. Chris Crawford, VP of Government Affairs for Ontario and Manitoba, had the opportunity to speak with Manitoba’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Mike Moyes, Leader of the Official Opposition Obby Khan and several MLAs.

On November 5, 2025, the CPA met with MLA Konrad Narth and MLA Josh Guenter. Narth serves as the Deputy House Leader, Critic for Economic Development, and Critic for Agriculture and Guenter serves as Deputy Caucus Chair, Critic for Innovation & New Technology, Critic for Labour, and Critic for the Workers Compensation Board.

In the meeting, CPA’s Chris Crawford, VP of Government Relations for Ontario and Manitoba, highlighted the importance of propane to Manitoba’s energy mix and agricultural sector. The CPA looks forward to continuing to discuss the importance of the propane industry with the province’s MLAs.

The CPA contacted Newfoundland and Labrador’s new premier, Tony Wakeham, following his Progressive Conservative party’s win in the October 14 election.

This outreach follows earlier correspondence between Wakeham and Allan Murphy, CPA’s SVP of Government Relations during the provincial election campaign.

In his letter to the new premier, Murphy outlined the CPA’s proposed Low Emission Energy Retrofit Program which would replace oil furnaces with propane systems, with the option to pair them with electric heat pumps in a dual fuel configuration.

Premier Wakham responded: “A government I lead will be pursuing a range of initiatives to make life more affordable for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, including efforts to help homeowners switch from reliance on oil. Regarding your specific proposal, for a Lower Emission Energy Retrofit Program. Following the election, my government will review the proposal as submitted.”

The CPA has requested a meeting with the premier at his earliest convenience.

Networking with municipal leaders and provincial officials was the order of the day for the CPA at the fall conference of the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities (NSFM) held November 4-7.

CPA’s SVP Government Relations Allan Murphy, along with Natasha Fraser (Dependable Truck and Tank) and CPA Atlantic Committee Chair Shane Spicer (Diversco) shared key information about the need for energy choice in Nova Scotia. 

New residential builds in the province are no longer permitted to include heating oil. Many delegates were not aware of this relatively new policy in the province and voiced their support for ensuring affordable energy choice. 

The CPA will be reaching out to the NSFM President to request support for its efforts to have the province recognize the economic and environmental benefits of propane.

The CPA welcomes the recent cabinet changes announced by Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, especially those affecting the energy file.

On October 21, the premier announced adjustments that the government says, “will enable the government to stay focused on energy and resource development.”

Notably, Premier Houston has taken on responsibility for the energy portfolio himself. “I want to turn Nova Scotia into an energy superpower…responsible resource development will power our economy for generations, combat poverty and help Nova Scotians earn more money,” he said

With utility costs for electricity continuing to rise, the CPA hopes the premier will carefully consider its Low Emission Energy Retrofit Program (LEERP). The proposal calls for replacing oil furnaces with propane systems and enabling dual-fuel operation with electric heat pumps.

The LEERP proposal will be featured in the CPA’s pre-budget submission to the Nova Scotia Department of Finance next month.

Data center facilities are no longer niche components of the digital economy but critical infrastructure underpinning commerce, communication, and national competitiveness. Their rapid growth is putting pressure on a power system that is already facing transmission limits, long wait times for new connections, and efforts to reduce emissions. Propane deserves a closer look as part of the energy mix for data centers. It offers portable, on-site storage, indefinite shelf life, nationwide delivery infrastructure, and significantly lower emissions than diesel. Together, these advantages make propane a practical option that supports both today’s reliability needs and future sustainability goals.

Read the report here: Powering the Digital Age | National Propane Gas Association | Delivering Value Through Advocacy

Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Low Carbon Fuels Division will be holding an outreach session on the Clean Fuel Regulations on December 3, 2025, from 1:00 – 3:00 pm ET.

Meeting WebEX Details

• Link
• Join manually
  • Meeting number: 2771 701 9009
  • Password: 4n5C38adfk$
• Join by phone:
  • +1-833-493-2020 (Toll Free)
  • +1-343-602-2007 (Toll)
  • Access code: 27717019009

During this session, ECCC will provide information on the implementation of the Regulations, including key reminders for credit-creation and upcoming key dates. Additionally, questions and feedback may be submitted to the Low Carbon Fuels Division: cfsncp@ec.gc.ca.

Please note, questions on targeted amendments will not be addressed at this session. A separate session on amendments will be scheduled following the publication of a consultation document.

Background:

The Clean Fuel Regulations were registered on June 21, 2022, and published in the July 6^th, 2022 version of Canada Gazette, Part II :

For more information on the Regulations, please see the following links:

• Clean Fuel Regulations and Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement
• CFR Webpage: Clean Fuel Regulations – Canada.ca
• Fuel LCA Model
• CFR Specifications for Fuel LCA Model CI Calculations: Carbon Intensity Calculations for the Clean Fuel Regulations – Environment and Climate Change Canada Data
• Supplemental Documents: Compliance with the Clean Fuel Regulations – Canada.ca

Google Drive: Clean Fuel Regulations / Règlement sur les combustibles propres – Google Drive