Leaded race fuel in Canada??????

[Doug Domm]

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

[Dave Turner]

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

[Darcy Clarke]

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

[Doug Domm]

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

[Dinsdale]

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).

[Doug Domm]

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

[cicero819]

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