OTTAWA, Ont. -- September
1, 2010 -- The Government of Canada today
announced that regulations requiring an
average renewable fuel content of five per
cent in gasoline have
been finalized and will come into effect
starting December 15, 2010.
"Today we are fulfilling
the Government's commitment to require five
percent renewable fuel content in gasoline,"
said the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister
of the Environment. "Regulating renewable
fuel content in gasoline is just one of
several steps the Government is taking to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation
sector, which account for about a quarter
of greenhouse gas emissions."
"Support for renewable
fuels is support for farmers, rural communities
and our economy," said Agriculture
Minister Gerry Ritz. "This is a vital
step in generating new market opportunities
for our farmers and maximizing Canada's
high quality resources to produce food and
fuel for the world."
"These regulations
will help Canada reach our goal of becoming
a clean energy leader," said Christian
Paradis, Minister of Natural Resources.
"Our Government supports biofuels and
other alternative fuels as part of our commitment
to reducing Canada's total greenhouse gas
emissions by 17 percent, from 2005 levels,
by 2020."
These regulations are
one pillar of the Government's broader Renewable
Fuels Strategy. Canada will implement a
requirement for two per cent renewable content
in diesel fuel and heating oil, subject
to successful demonstration of technical
feasibility under the range of Canadian
conditions, which would be put in place
by an amendment to the Renewable Fuels Regulations.
When fully implemented,
the Strategy's two regulatory requirements
combined with provincial regulations will
ensure a total volume of renewable fuel
that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions
by up to four megatonnes in 2012--about
the equivalent of taking one million vehicles
off the road.
These regulations are
a key initiative in support of the Government
of Canada's commitment to reduce Canada's
total greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent
from 2005 levels by 2020. In addition, the
Government of Canada is working with the
U.S. towards common North American standards
for regulating greenhouse gas emissions
from vehicles, and has recently published,
draft regulations for vehicle tailpipe emissions
under the Canadian Environmental Protection
Act that are aligned with those of the U.S.
Building on that successful collaboration,
we will continue to work together to do
the same for heavy-duty vehicles.
Frédéric Baril
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
+ More
Environment Minister
Appoints Oilsands Advisory Panel
OTTAWA, Ont. -- September
30, 2010 -- In response to concerns about
industrial pollution in the Athabasca River
and connecting waterways, Environment Minister
Jim Prentice has appointed an independent
Advisory Panel of leading scientists to
review the design and management of related
environmental systems.
"We are determined
to develop Canada's oil sands in a manner
that it sustainable and environmentally-sensitive,"
noted Minister Prentice. "This independent
review by some of Canada's most respected
scientists is a critical step in ensuring
that environmental issues are balanced with
economic considerations."
The Advisory Panel has
a mandate to advise Minister Prentice on
the current state of environmental research
and monitoring in the region around Alberta's
oil sands and to make recommendations to
ensure that state-of-the-art monitoring
and best practices are implemented.
Chaired by Elizabeth
Dowdeswell, the Advisory Panel members are
Dr. Peter J. Dillon, Dr. Subhasis Ghoshal,
Dr. Andrew D. Miall, Dr. Joseph Rasmussen
and Dr. John P. Smol.
Within 60 days, it will
report back to Minister Prentice. This report
will be publicly available on the Environment
Canada website.
Pascale Boulay
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
