Leaded race fuel in Canada??????
 

I am getting conflicting stories on the importation of leaded race fuel into Canada. I thought that was all sorted out! I've been told someone missed the date on application and now we are SOL. Also been told there is a shortage of fuel in western Canada, or is this some marketing scheme like that anti-freeze bunk a few years back? Thanks Doug

Re: Leaded race fuel in Canada??????
 

Doug, this may help you to get a handle on the situation. It has been announced
(in Ontario), that the fuel distributors will not be able to sell leaded fuel until the legislation is passed. This affects vendors, but, to the best of my understanding, not users.

To whom it may concern:

Proposed Regulations Amending the Gasoline Regulations (referred to as the proposed amendments) will be in Part I of the Canada Gazette on April 3, 2010. The proposed amendments and the accompanying regulatory impact analysis statement (RIAS) are available at http://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/.../reg2-eng.html.

Until December 31, 2009, Canada's Gasoline Regulations included a temporary exemption for the use of leaded gasoline in competition vehicles. That exemption is now expired. The Regulations currently require that the maximum concentration of lead in gasoline produced, imported or sold in Canada is 5 mg/L (as per section 4 of the Regulations).

The proposed amendment would provide an exemption for the production, import and sale of leaded gasoline in Canada for use in competition vehicles for an indeterminate period. Record keeping and reporting requirements for producers, importers and sellers of leaded gasoline would remain in effect.

Within five years, Environment Canada will review the decision to exempt the use of leaded gasoline in competition vehicles. In keeping with the broader policy goal of reducing lead emissions from gasoline, the government would work with domestic and international stakeholders, including the U.S. EPA, to encourage a continued transition to non-leaded fuels by race sanctioning bodies, would initiate a dialog with domestic stakeholders to promote a transition by Canadian competitors. This review would assess any new U.S. policies on this issue, industry progress towards reduced leaded gasoline use, new developments on the technical and economic feasibility of a transition to non-leaded fuels, and any new information regarding the health impacts of lead exposure at Canadian race tracks.

Any person may, within 60 days after the date of publication of the proposed amendments, submit comments with respect to the proposed amendments or may submit a notice of objection requesting that a board of review be established under section 333 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, and stating the reasons for the objection.

Following this period and taking into consideration all comments received, final amendments would be published in Canada Gazette, Part II, at which time the amendments would become law.

Parties are invited to provide their views in writing on the proposed amendments by June 2, 2010. Written comments may be submitted by email to fuels-carburants@ec.gc.ca, or by sent by mail to:

Leif Stephanson
Manager, Fuels Section
Oil, Gas and Alternative Energy Division
Environment Canada
351 St. Joseph Boulevard, 9th floor
Gatineau, QC K1A 0H3

Re: Leaded race fuel in Canada??????
 

The unfortunate part as well is that some of the Fuel suppliers are opening it up to the highest bidder and not selling to people who have supported them. These suppliers will find out that it will be a one time thing and most racers have very long memories, I am one of them. I will not be supporting these businesses in the future.

Darcy Clarke
6254 STK A/SA

Re: Leaded race fuel in Canada??????
 

Supply and demand. Hmmmm! Like I said remember that anti-freeze scam. If my memory serves me right prices on anti-freeze dropped dramatically after that. So if these vendors want to #### and pillage now as Darcy mentioned they may not have the same customer base they had before. Has anyone seen if the Chevy Volt is in the classification guide yet? Sorry maybe that was just some bad humour. Doug

Re: Leaded race fuel in Canada??????
 

A group of us just bought fuel (55 drums) from VP in Calgary. Same price as last year and no, they don't have any left as of last week. The problem is the Canadian Govt just had a 3 month vacation so the legislation never got passed. In steps some moron at Enviroment Canada a puts a halt to all importing. The info I got from the VP distributor is they hope to have this cleared up in a couple weeks.

If someone is gouging you (more than normal) on fuel price then don't do business with them (ever).

Re: Leaded race fuel in Canada??????
 

I'm hearing of prices ranging from $675.00 a drum taxes paid up to $950.00 a drum for c12.

Re: Leaded race fuel in Canada??????
 

Did any one head across the border this last weekend to race in Canada. Confused are you allowed to take fuel across the border for your own consumation? Was going to head to Mission B.C. but did not want to get turn around at the border. Can the border tell the differace between C10 unleaded and C12 leaded.

Re: Leaded race fuel in Canada??????
 

Sounds like the wholesale price from the VP distributor and the retail price from the local VP dealer. Keep in mind that the dealer is running a business, needs to have permits and storage etc. and trying to make a bit of profit. A lot of racers just decided he was too expensive so now the guy is out of the business and we have no fuel supplier at Mission this year. The $950.00 is no higher than normal. The $675.00 is because one guy takes orders until he get's a trailer load and we get it at cost.

As to the next post, I've never heard of anyone being checked for fuel at the border. I've crossed with as much as 20 gallons but as long as it's for your own personal use and not an excessive amount then I doubt you'll have a problem.

Re: Leaded race fuel in Canada??????
 

I'm sorry but $950.00 a drum doesn't sound normal and if you are a dealer larger quantity purchases shouldn't be an issue if you hope to have inventory to satisfy customer needs. Yes there are regulations and permits required for storage etc. but that is an expected part of doing business for many other retail businesses as well and they don't attempt to hold you ransom just because they can. Doug

Re: Leaded race fuel in Canada??????
 

I know this isn't going to be a popular thread fro me but here goes. Better get use to it because Tetra-ethyl lead isn't a great substance to leave behind us when we are gone and gentlemen it's imprint is there for a long time, it's being ingested by millions of people every day, it's one of the nastiest product ever introduced in our environment. I for one being a responsible racer doesn't want anyone to shove it down our throat anymore than anyone else but it's a fact that we can live without it. General Motors has spent millions of dollars(before they become Government Motors) in studies confirming that no evidence of valve seat recession cause by removing of tetra-ethyl in racing or conventional usage gasoline. Most engines that had factory-installed hardened valve seats,and many flame hardened cast iron seats survived the elimination of lead, although when the flame hardened seats were resurfaced they were more inclined to recession problems mostly caused by an overaggressive mechanic or engine builder with a new valve seat tool.Run lead free Avgas for a fifth of vp racing fuels. It's my opinion and I know what is said about opinions. Claude Ruel

Re: Leaded race fuel in Canada??????
 

Well Claude I must say that I am NOT enviromentally ignorant as I have made many changes in my life to be greener. However I do live in the prairie provinces of Canada and my race car shop alone with heating and electrical etc. leaves a larger footprint than my race car could ever leave. The comparatively miniscule amount of leaded race fuel I would consume in a year don't mean spit. Doug

Re: Leaded race fuel in Canada??????
 

Also Claude, I really doubt that NHRA has fuel specs for low lead AV gas. Don`t forget that Stock & S/S cars need to burn a NHRA accepted brand & grade of fuel, and we do need to have our fuel analyzed when competing at an NHRA divisional or Nat`l event. Personally, my 85 Mustangs 8.4-1 compression 302 runs at least as fast on Chevron 92 octane unleaded pump gas, but I can`t run it at a NHRA race, so I run VP C12.

Re: Leaded race fuel in Canada??????
 

Doug never did I want to morale anyone, all I was pointing out that leaded fuels leave an undesirable side effect near were we race, the land adjacent to the race track, Environment Canada and EPA had conducted test from soil samples near Sanair many years ago after a Major Event (the Grand National)and found an unacceptable high level of lead near or next to the track on the level of 100 times higher level than those samples near major highways and Freeways. Rory I was just entertaining the thought, why not look at another source of unleaded alternative instead of being gouge by unscrupulous retailers. I know NHRA wants but why not try another form of fuel. This is by no way me being green but sometime we have to beat the government to the punch before they take us out for the count. Claude

Re: Leaded race fuel in Canada??????
 

Claude, a number of years ago, Enviroment Canada set up some air quality collecting and sampling devices at Mission Raceway, during a typical bracket race, and from what I understand, the testing results were virtually negligable. More recently, they did a similar testing at Eagle Motorplex near Cache Creek BC, and again the results were minimal. I would have to think that the "damage" caused by lead would be many times greater from the decades of use in virtually every motor vehicle in Canada until the early 80`s. Trust me, if I could burn everyday unleaded pump gas (at approx. $4.50 a US gallon)in my low compression Stocker, instead of the VP C12 (at $12. per gallon) at a NHRA event, AND pass fuel check, I would. However, what NHRA "wants", is what we are required to use at a NHRA event. I am certainly no "tree hugger", but the cost saving (& ready availability) would be a big plus. Of course, the pump gas would likely not be ideal in an earlier high compression engine, so there will alway`s be a demand for the "good stuff".

Re: Leaded race fuel in Canada??????
 

Claude, did they test before the event as well or just after the event as you mentioned? Doug

Re: Leaded race fuel in Canada??????
 

Doug I hope they did but you never know with agencies, they some think of us as mushrooms.I know that we use in Aviation a low TEL rating but still lower than most racing fuel. I just hate the overcharges. Claude