The CPA/Propane Training Institute welcomes new team members!

The CPA/Propane Training Institute is incredibly fortunate to have two veterans of the propane industry joining our team.

Marcel Mandin has been appointed as the PTI’s new Training Development Manager and is located in Edmonton, Alberta. Jim Bellwood is PTI’s new Manager of Business Development and is located in Fenelon Falls, Ontario.

Read more here.

Brakes top reason vehicles taken off road in international roadcheck blitz

Last year’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance International Roadcheck found that just over 20% of commercial motor vehicles and about 6% of drivers were placed out of service.

Over the annual three-day blitz, the CVSA conducted 3,359 Level I Inspections. A vehicle is placed out of service when an inspector finds critical out-of-service violations, outlined in CVSA’s North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria, during a roadside inspection. Being placed out of service means the driver or vehicle is prohibited from operation for a specified period of time or until the violation is corrected. Read more on the results here.

Recall issued on HÉLIO RV Trailers 

Transport Canada has issued a recall on HÉLIO RV Trailers. The recall affects the 2020-2023 series and only affects vehicles equipped with a Suburban SDS2 cooktop. On certain RV trailers, the aluminum tubes that connect the gas valves to the cooktop burners could crack. If this happens, the tubes could leak propane.  

Hélio is notifying owners by mail. The corrective actions for this recall are under development. Hélio advises not to use the cooktop until the recall repairs are completed. 

Calendar lists reporting requirements for Clean Fuel Regulations 

The Low Carbon Fuels Division has posted three documents on the Clean Fuel Regulations Google Drive.  

• Folder 1: List of Registrants under the CFR 
• Folder 10: Reporting, Verification and Compliance Calendar 2022-2023  
• Folder 10: Reporting, Verification and Compliance Calendar    

If you have questions about the Clean Fuel Regulations, please email: cfsncp@ec.gc.ca.   

BC: Regulator seeking feedback on proposed fee increases

Technical Safety BC (TSBC) is consulting on upcoming fee changes for 2024 and 2025. To provide your feedback, please complete the following survey by Friday, June 16: Fee consultation 2024-2025 Survey.

TSBC will be hosting online meetings throughout May and June to discuss the proposed changes and invite feedback.

General proposed changes include:

• Moving to a two-year fee cycle (instead of three),
• Proposed 7% increase to most fees in 2024 and 4% to most fees in 2025,
• Scaling permit fees by reducing fees for lower-value jobs and increasing fees for higher-value jobs, and
• Charging different fees for different modes of exams, such as completing a digital exam remotely versus in person.

Further details can be found here: Proposed Fees 2024-2025 | Engage Technical Safety BC.

The CPA will continue to engage with TSBC on this process, please send VP Government Relations West Katie Kachur any feedback you have regarding changes to the fee schedule as soon as possible to best inform CPA discussions with TSBC. This topic will also be included for discussion at the June 21 meeting in Kelowna (or via Microsoft Teams if you are unable to attend in person).

BC: New Electronic Logging Device orders mirror federal requirements 

New Electronic Logging Device (ELD) requirements come into force in B.C. effective August 1, 2023. The BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure had approved the new order that implements and supports the enforcement of a provincial ELD mandate this past February 2023.   

This order makes it mandatory for commercial motor vehicle drivers who cross provincial/territorial borders to use ELDs to record their hours of service.  

As is the case under the federal ELD mandate, B.C.’s new regulations will require all ELDs to be certified by an accredited certification body under CVDHOSR s. 79.1 to be considered compliant with B.C.’s regulations. A list of certified devices is maintained by Transport Canada. 

As part of the provincial ELD mandate, the CVSE Director can issue exemptions if they are considered “desirable for the purposes of more effectively promoting and securing road safety”. Appendix 5 provides a list of the ELD exemptions that the CVSE Director is currently intending to issue but they are subject to change.  

View NSC Bulletin #1-2023 for more information on ELDs. For any questions, contact the NSC program office at NSC@gov.bc.ca or 250-952-0576. 

BC: CPA Request for exclusion from extended recycling program declined

Despite member and CPA efforts, propane cylinders in B.C. are set to be included in the province’s extended recycling program, increasing costs to the propane industry, and ultimately the consumer.  

The CPA had reached out to the BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy on numerous occasions to inform them that the propane industry is already meeting and exceeding the requirements of the provincial recycling program, with close to a 100% recycling rate. (See previous story, published Nov. 21, 2022: BC – CPA pushing for exclusion of propane cylinders in government’s expanded recycling program.) However, the ministry indicated they are not yet willing to entertain an exemption.  

The ministry states that remote and indigenous communities are not receiving that same level of service. While propane industry representatives provided an avenue to rectify this purported deficiency, the ministry maintained its position that the application of these cylinders to the recycling regime will be beneficial, despite the added costs that will trickle down to consumers. They stated that the population who uses the product should be paying added fees to ensure recycling takes place, meaning additional government burden to consumers.  

While the ministry stated consultations were completed for including propane cylinders in the extended recycling program, the propane industry and other associated stakeholders were not invited to participate. In addition, upon research and further examination, the CPA determined that the original documents from the ministry never included refillable cylinders:  

• Advancing Recycling in B.C. – Extended Producer Responsibility Five-Year Action Plan 2021-2026  
• Recycling Regulation Policy Intentions Paper – Summary of Feedback 
• 2020_recycling_regulation_policy_intentions_paper.pdf  

The CPA and members only become aware that refillable cylinders were being included in the planned expansion of the Extended Producer Responsibility requirements at a stakeholder webinar held in October 2022.  

The CPA will continue to pursue an exemption. Future action will be discussed with BC Committee members at the June meeting. The CPA maintains that cylinder recycling is already conducted in a robust manner and adding costs to a functional existing recycling system should not be an option. 

AB: New gas STANDATA on stationary gas engines 

The following Gas STANDATA is now available on the Alberta.ca website.  

• 23-GCV-01(REV1) – Stationary gas engines 

This variance allows compliance monitoring of small engines up to 500 HP (372 kW) by gas safety codes officers as an alternative to prescriptive requirements within the CSA B149.3:20 Code for the field approval of fuel-burning appliances and equipment. To view all Gas STANDATA click here. For more information, visit the Alberta safety codes webpage and/or email: safety.services@gov.ab.ca. 

NS: Safety Branch launching Nova SAFE web app

It is the Safety Branch’s new digital tool designed to deliver accurate safety information quickly, easily and clearly across all industries, sectors and labour force (employers and employees). Topics will include a summary, related additional resources, and linked references to specific parts of provincial legislation.

Access Nova SAFE by visiting Novasafe.ca on any computer or install and use the app on your phone.

If you would like to see more information on a topic or have any questions, contact the NS Safety Branch at: safetyengagement@novascotia.ca.