Canada: Fuels
Regulatory Requirements
Transportation fuel standards in Canada are developed by the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) and cover middle distillate fuels, gasoline/ethanol blends and aviation fuels. Compliance with CGSB petroleum standards is voluntary. Current CGSB standards are publicly available [6264].
Regulatory requirements for fuels are set at the federal and provincial levels. At the federal level, legal requirements include fuel sulfur content and carbon intensity. Provincial governments can also set requirements that include volatility and renewable fuels content.
Federal regulatory requirements enacted under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act: 1999 include limits on sulfur and carbon intensity for gasoline and diesel and benzene and phosphorous for gasoline [6269].
Regulations limiting the carbon intensity of diesel and gasoline fuels, the Clean Fuel Regulations, were enacted in 2021 and are intended to replace regulations enacted in 2010, the Renewable Fuels Regulations, that required the addition of renewable fuels [6270][6271]. The Renewable Fuels Regulations are scheduled to be repealed near the end of 2024. The Clean Fuel Regulations require gasoline and diesel primary suppliers (i.e., producers and importers) to reduce the carbon intensity (CI) of the gasoline and diesel they produce in, and import into, Canada from 2016 CI levels by 3.5 gCO2e/MJ in 2023, increasing to 14 gCO2e/MJ in 2030.
Provincial regulations can also regulate renewable fuels content for diesel and gasoline and vapor pressure for gasoline fuels. Quebec regulatory requirements incorporate the requirements found in CGSB standards.
Regulatory requirements affecting a particular fuel are typically listed in an informative annex of the applicable CGSB fuel standard.
Diesel Fuel
CGSB requirements for diesel fuel are found in CAN/CGSB-3.517 and summarized in Table 1 [6263]. Two types of diesel fuel are specified, Type A and Type B. Both are suitable for use in high-speed diesel engines for on-road and off-road applications and in some medium speed diesel engines. Type A is intended for use in selected applications or when ambient temperatures require better low-temperature properties than Type B.
| Property | Unit | Properties | Referee Test Method, ASTM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash point, min | °C | 40.01 | D93 |
| Water and sediment, max | % vol. | 0.02 | D2709 |
| Distillation T90, max | °C | Type A: 290 Type B: 360 | D86 |
| Kinematic viscosity @ 40°C | mm2/s | Type A: 1.30 - 3.60 Type B: 1.702 - 4.10 | D445 |
| Ash, max | % wt. | 0.010 | D482 |
| Sulfur, max | mg/kg | 15 | D5453 |
| Copper strip corrosion, 3h at 50°C, max | No. 1 | D130 | |
| Cetane number, min | 40.0 | D613 | |
| Electrical conductivity, min | pS/m | 25 | D2624 |
| Low-temperature flow properties | °C | Location & season dependent3 | D5773 or CAN/CGSB-3.0 No. 140.1 |
| Carbon residue on 10% distillation residue, max | % wt. | Type A: 0.1 Type B: 0.2 | D5430 |
| Acid number, max | mg KOH/g | 0.10 | D974 |
| Lubricity, max | µm | 4604 | D6079 |
| Biodiesel | % vol. | - | |
|
1. A higher flash point may be specified for some applications. 2. If the fuel is intended for use at low temperatures, the minimum viscosity limit is lower. For -10°C or colder, the limit is 1.50 mm2/s and for -20°C or colder, 1.30 mm2/s. 3. The operability limit is the 2.5% low-end design temperature for the period and location of intended use and is determined using the most recent set of weather data. When the 2.5% low-end design temperature is colder than -48°C, a fuel meeting a -48°C operability limit may be supplied. Operability temperature is determined by cloud point (referee method ASTM D5773) or the low-temperature flow test (LTFT) (referee method CAN/CGSB-3.0 No. 140.1). 4. A maximum wear scar diameter of 460 µm @ 60°C with ASTM D6079 or D7688 with D6079 being the referee method between these two test methods. Satisfactory performance with several pump rig tests is also an option. | |||
Low temperature properties are based on the 2.5% low-end design temperature. This is the temperature at or below which 2.5% of the hourly outside air temperatures are observed to occur for an indicated half month. The 2.5% low-end design temperature for most weather stations in Canada is based upon a statistical analysis of hourly weather readings over a thirty-year period [6272].
Other CGSB standards for diesel fuels include:
- Diesel Fuel Containing Low Levels of Biodiesel (B1-B5), CAN/CGSB-3.520 [6265],
- Diesel fuel containing biodiesel (B6-B20), CAN/CGSB-3.522 [6266],
- Biodiesel (B100) for blending in middle distillate fuels, CAN/CGSB-3.524 [6267], and
- Naval distillate fuel, CAN/CGSB-3.11 [6268].
In 2025, changes are expected that would allow up to 5% biodiesel in 3.517 accompanied by the withdrawal of 3.520.
Middle distillate standards that have been withdrawn include:
- Off-Road Diesel Fuel, CAN/CGSB-3.6 was withdrawn in 2015. Prior to 2007, this standard was named Regular Sulphur Diesel Fuel.
- Mining Diesel Fuel, CAN/CGSB-3.16 was withdrawn in 2013 and CAN/CGSB 3.517 was modified to cover under-ground mining applications.
- Diesel fuel for locomotive-type medium-speed diesel engines, CAN/CGSB-3.18 was withdrawn in 2021. The standard was no longer used by Canadian Railways. CAN/CGSB3.517 was modified to cover locomotive applications that could still use 500 ppm sulfur fuel.
Gasoline Fuel
CGSB standards relevant to fuels for spark ignition engines include [6264]:
- Oxygenated automotive gasoline containing ethanol (E1-E10 and E11-E15), CAN/CGSB-3.511,
- Automotive gasoline (E0), CAN/CGSB-3.5,
- Automotive ethanol fuel (E50-E85 and E20-E25), CAN/CGSB-3.512,
- Denatured fuel ethanol for use in automotive spark-ignition fuels, CAN/CGSB-3.516, and
- Propane for fuel purposes, CAN/CGSB-3.514.