Government of Canada Moves Forward on Regulations to Reduce Levels of Sulphur in Diesel

OTTAWA, December 19, 2001 - Proposed new regulations to reduce the sulphur content in diesel fuel by 95 percent are being brought forward for public comment. The draft regulations, which are part of the Government of Canada's Clean Air Agenda, will be published in Part I of the Canada Gazette, Saturday, December 22, Environment Minister David Anderson announced today.

"The Government of Canada has a progressive plan in place to reduce harmful emissions from vehicles, engines and fuels and to improve air quality for Canadians. Reducing sulphur in on-road diesel fuel is one important step in that plan," Environment Minister Anderson said. "Combined with new, more stringent vehicle emission requirements to be proposed early next year and low sulphur gasoline regulations which start next summer, the new rules for low sulphur diesel fuel will help protect the health of Canadians by significantly reducing air pollution."

The Sulphur in Diesel Fuel Regulations would limit the level of sulphur in diesel fuel used in on-road vehicles to a maximum of 15 parts per million (ppm). This is a 95 percent reduction relative to today's limit of 500 ppm and would enable the introduction of advanced emission control systems for buses, trucks and other on-road vehicles using diesel engines. The new limit for sulphur content in diesel would also reduce the emissions of other air pollutants including sulphur dioxide and sulphates.

The new 15 ppm limit would come into effect on June 1, 2006 for producers and importers and on September 1, 2006 for sellers to allow for turnover of diesel supplies. In the Arctic regions, the limit on sales would come into effect a year later to allow for slower turnover and to reflect logistical difficulties in the far north. These new standards are aligned in timing and level with corresponding requirements in the United States.

The publication in Part I of the Canada Gazette will initiate the formal 60-day consultations on the regulation, after which the Department will proceed with finalizing the regulations for publication in Part II of the Canada Gazette.

Related documents:

• Sulphur in Diesel Fuel Regulations - [backgrounder, 2001-12-19]