2002/139 (a)

BACKGROUNDER

FUEL EFFICIENCY AND ALTERNATIVE FUELS IN
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA FLEET

Government of Canada Fleet

There are approximately 38 executive vehicles assigned to ministers and secretaries of state, along with another 48 for eligible Government of Canada officials. The federal fleet includes more than 23,000 vehicles in service across Canada, including Royal Canadian Mounted Police vehicles and non-military vehicles in the Department of National Defence.

The federal fleet uses nearly 70 million litres of fuel and travels more than 500 million kilometres per year.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from federal on-road vehicles have been reduced by 20 percent from 1995–1996 to 2000–2001, as a result of changes to the Government of Canada’s Motor Vehicle Policy. This decrease is due in part to reductions of kilometres travelled, greater fuel efficiency in vehicles and a modest increase in the number of alternative-fuel vehicles in the fleet. Recent initiatives, including vehicle pooling to provide operating units with the right vehicle for the task, increased use of ethanol fuels, and policy changes encouraging the use of greener vehicles, will also have an impact on GHG emissions reductions.

New guidelines announced on November 22, 2002, are intended to lead to increased purchases of vehicles that are smaller and more fuel-efficient, and that can operate on alternative fuels. By following these guidelines, the federal fleet may reduce GHG emissions by 30,000 tonnes per year, or more than one tonne per vehicle. A campaign to help federal vehicle drivers locate and use E-10 will be launched at the beginning of December 2002.

Availability of Alternative Fuels

E-10 ethanol fuel is available at more than 1,000 retail stations from British Columbia to Quebec. E-85 is a recent fuel in Canada, and is available at one commercial site and two federal sites in Ottawa. Eight other E-85 fuelling facilities will soon open at federal sites across Canada.

Natural gas is available at 140 retail stations from British Columbia to Quebec, although there are also many smaller fuelling facilities, including more than 10 facilities on federal sites. Propane is available throughout Canada at more than 5,000 fuelling sites.

The locations of natural gas and E-10 fuelling sites are available at http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/english/aboutus.cfm.

GHG Emissions for Various Fuels

GHG emissions from different fuels are usually compared based on equivalent energy content, or an equivalent vehicle traveling distance, over the full fuel cycle. Full fuel cycle includes all the emissions associated with producing, processing and transporting the fuel as well as combustion to provide propulsive energy to the vehicle.

Full-Fuel-Cycle GHG Emissions for Several Fuels (data from Natural Resources Canada)

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