With the recent developments in carbon tax policy that saw an exemption for heating oil only and the push to urge Senators to pass Bill C-234 into law, the CPA is using the latest online technology to reach government representatives – more quickly and in greater numbers.  

Members can connect with their federal, provincial, or municipal representatives to relay messaging and urge action with the push of a button. We recently ran the following campaigns,  Help our farmers!  Help save Bill C-234 and CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MP to include propane in rural energy assistance.  

Results were excellent for our first run at online advocacy, with about 1800 members writing letters to Senators for Bill C-234 and 95 members writing to MPs to include propane in the carbon tax exemption. Thank you to everyone who helped deliver our messaging.  

Your voice is crucial – CPA members engaging directly with their federal, provincial, and municipal representatives creates better outcomes. Members are the experts and can provide the human element that moves an issue from concept to reality for members of Parliament. And of course, there is strength in numbers. We are excited to see continued progress with the use of this platform to make our voices heard in Ottawa. 

Fair Rail has been established as a new coalition for the Factual Analysis of International Rail Rates (FAIRR). It includes shipper organizations and stakeholders from all major bulk commodity segments in Canada, as well as associations consisting of the Western Canadian Shippers Coalition, Pulse Canada, the Western Grain Elevator Association, the Canadian Canola Growers Association, and the Forest Products Association of Canada.  

CPA members are encouraged to review  Rail Rates in Canada, a white paper recently published by FAIRR in response to a report prepared by independent global transportation consulting firm, CPCS for the Railway Association of Canada entitled International Comparison of Railway Freight Rates published in January 2023.

To join the CPA Rail Task Group or to learn more about CPA’s rail advocacy please contact VP of Government Relations West, Katie Kachur.

The federal government has published draft regulations regarding the proposed Clean Electricity Regulations which will establish performance standards to reduce GHG emissions from fossil fuel-generated electricity starting in 2035. 

In November, the CPA filed its submission regarding the Regulations. The CPA asked that the federal government consider: 

• The advantages and opportunities the expanded use of propane can provide as the sector looks to reduce emissions, in alignment with the 2050 net zero goals. 
• The risk of leaving behind Canadians who live in rural and remote communities if decarbonization is rushed without safeguards in place and if all low-emission options are not included in decarbonization efforts.  
•  That the rush to electrification will put rural jobs at risk.  

The CPA also recommended that the government: 

•  Adjust timelines for compliance beyond January 1, 2035, so that businesses have the time to assess existing and emerging technologies that can achieve the required emissions reductions at the lowest possible cost to their business and customers.  
• Avoid using the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to impose criminal penalties as the mechanism for these regulations. 

On November 8, the CPA Rail Task Group hosted CN Rail to discuss their winter plan and key areas of focus for the propane sector. Members highlighted issues to be addressed for the sector to ensure high levels of service over the winter months. The CPA also continues to engage with the NRCan Rail Task Group and Transport Canada on key matters relating to rail and overall supply chains.  To view CN’s Winter Plan please visit: Winter Plan | cn.ca For more information on the Rail Task Group or items related to rail, please contact VP Government Relations, West, Katie Kachur. 

The Government of B.C. passed the new Low Carbon Fuels Act in Spring 2022 to replace the Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Renewable and Low Carbon Fuel Requirements) Act.  The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation is developing regulations that are intended to bring the new Act into force on January 1, 2024.

The CPA has invited Jennifer Kroll, executive director of the Low Carbon Fuels Branch to present the new regulations to the BC Committee at the December 7 meeting. Members are encouraged to attend this virtual meeting to ensure a fulsome understanding of the new regulations and their impact on the propane sector across the province. Please contact Katie Kachur if you wish to be added to this meeting. 

The CPA has been a member of BC Business Council since 2021 as part of the association’s enhanced advocacy. The Business Council “strives to create a prosperous province for the benefit of all British Columbians through a thriving private sector driven economy and advocates for stakeholders and public policy decision-makers to take action in support of creating an economically and socially prosperous British Columbia”.  

CPA hosted the Business Council to provide their perspective on the economic implications of the provincial government’s CleanBC roadmap. Their analysis concludes that CleanBC policies reduce per capita income and slows provincial economic growth.  In case you missed it, you can watch the webinar, Economic Implications of the Provincial Government’s CleanBC Roadmap to 2030, here. 

They note a path forward includes retaining net zero 2050 targets and recalibrating Roadmap 2030 targets and policy timelines in consultation with the public, business, First Nations and local governments and adopting a “the world needs more B.C.” mindset. For more information on the webinar on the CPA’s BC Business Council membership, please contact CPA’s Vice President, Government Relations, West, Katie Kachur.  

As part of the Board of Directors meeting on November 2, the CPA hosted several events in Edmonton, Alberta, to raise the awareness and profile of propane with key provincial decision-makers.  

As part of this advocacy, the CPA Board of Directors was introduced at the Alberta Legislature on November 1, and MLA Martin Long read a Member Statement highlighting the important role propane plays across the province.  

On November 2, the CPA hosted a Ministers Breakfast which saw Minister Neudorf, Minister Turton, Minister Wilson and Minister Schow, as well as MLA Martin Long, chiefs of staff Josh Bilyk and Riley Braun, Ministerial Assistant Leah Wood. An Opposition Lunch was also organized with UCP Director of Operations Shirin Kouklanfar and NDP Energy Critic Kathleen Ganley.  

The CPA was pleased to hear from the provincial government on the role propane can and should play in the province’s energy future and looks forward to engaging in further policy discussions including but not limited to propane displacing diesel in Indigenous communities, auto propane, tax relief, biopropane investment and harmonization of regulations. For further information CPA’s Vice President, Government Relations, West, Katie Kachur.  

Manitobans elected a new Government on October 3, 2023, led by Premier Kinew. CPA President and CEO Shannon Watt sent a congratulatory letter to the Premier which focused on how the CPA and the new provincial government can work together to reduce emissions and the role propane can play in the energy future of Manitoba. 

Watt and VP of Government Relations, Ontario & Manitoba, Chris Crawford attended the in-person Manitoba Committee meeting held on Oct. 24 in Winnipeg. The meeting focused on ways the committee can work with the new provincial government to ensure propane has a voice in the energy transition in Manitoba. 

The CPA had productive meetings at Queen’s Park on October 18 to discuss the propane advantage, including a way the CPA can work with the province to transition Ontarians from oil to low- emission propane. 

CPA member Dave Karn from Dowler-Karn/McDougall Energy, VP of Government Relations (Ontario and Manitoba), Chris Crawford and SVP Government Relations Allan Murphy met with: MPP Leardi (Essex and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Mines), MPP Hardeman (Oxford) and MPP Byers (Bruce Grey Owen Sound and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Finance).    

ECCC’s Low Carbon Fuels Division will be holding an outreach session on the Clean Fuel Regulations on November 29, from 12:00 – 2:00 pm ET.  

Meeting WebEX Details 

• Link here  
• Or join: https://canada.webex.com/ 
• Meeting number: 2774 656 7665  
• Password: BpbvCBh*444 

 During this session, ECCC’s Low Carbon Fuels Division will be providing information on the implementation of the Regulations including key reminders for credit-creation, as well as providing an overview of the input from participants on the data that may be reported externally. Additionally, written feedback may be submitted to the Low Carbon Fuels Division: cfsncp@ec.gc.ca.  

Background:  

The Clean Fuel Regulations were registered on June 21, 2022, and published in the July 6, 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  

Technical Safety BC has reconsidered its approach to its requirements for advertising licensed and regulated services. It is now optional for contractors to add TSBC licence numbers to fleet vehicles, storefronts, and other assets as opposed to mandatory as previously required. 

Concerns from contractors and industry associations about the impacts of adding licence numbers to these assets resulted in TSBC revising its requirements, which was Phase 3 of its Regulation Changes to Contractor Advertising.  Adding TSBC licence numbers to digital and print advertising (Phase 1 and 2 of the advertising requirements) is still required.  

For any questions, contact Meryl Howell-Fellows, Advisor, Insights & Engagement with Technical Safety BC at 1 866 566 7233.