Canada Proposes 2016 Regulations on Energy Efficiency

by Brittany Tofinchio Palmer

---

Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) have a major impact on both the economy and the environment. Homes and buildings are one of the major contributors to GHG emissions and accounted for 22% of Canada’s national GHG emissions in 2013. When consumers make choices in regard to energy efficiency, they often face trade barriers that prevent them from making the optimal choice. The Energy Efficiency Act 2009 provides the authority to make regulations on energy using products and energy efficiency standards. Canada proposed draft 2016 Regulations on Energy Efficiency on April 21, 2016. The objectives of the proposed Regulations, include:

• Strengthen the minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) for 20 product categories, including large air conditions, commercial freezers, fluorescent lamp ballasts, and gas and oil boilers;
• Reduce GHG emissions and energy consumption associated with these products; and
• Eliminate unnecessary differences between Canadian and US regulations for the product categories.

 
To meet the above objectives, the proposed Regulations include the following requirements:

• Dealers must ensure that each regulated product model they import meets the energy efficiency standards;
  
• Dealers must ensure that each regulated product model they ship from one province to another meets the energy efficiency standards;
• Dealers must ensure that the product has an EnerGuide label and energy efficiency verification mark if applicable;
• Dealers must submit energy efficiency reports to Natural Resources Canada when importing a regulated energy-using product; and
• Products required to contain an energy efficiency verification mark must obtain one from a body accredited for energy efficiency verification by the Standards Council of Canada;

 
The draft 2016 Regulations on Energy Efficiency are open for comment until July 14, 2016.