FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Canadian Gas Association (CGA) member companies have been leading efforts to reduce methane emissions for decades. Methane, or natural gas, is the product we deliver, and we strive to ensure it is delivered safely and affordably to our consumers. That is why we see today’s announcement from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) on methane regulations as a setback for consumers.
More than 20 million Canadians rely on natural gas for home heating, industrial uses, power generation, and to run small businesses. At a time of significant affordability pressures, higher compliance costs from methane regulations will ultimately lead to higher utility bills for Canadian households and businesses. The regulations also raise competitiveness concerns for Canada’s natural gas sector relative to the United States.
Since 2023, CGA and its members have worked with ECCC to identify practical and cost-effective approaches to methane regulation. Throughout this process, CGA has consistently raised concerns about compliance costs, which are borne by consumers. While ECCC estimates compliance costs at $48/tonne, CGA member field testing and real-world data indicate an average cost of $3,000/tonne. These concerns have not been reflected in the approach announced today. Further, the technology solutions ECCC has relied on to support the regulation remain at an early stage of development and are not yet adequate for meeting compliance.
CGA supports reducing methane emissions and has consistently emphasized that methane is a valuable commodity that the natural gas industry works to capture and retain. Achieving further reductions requires regulations grounded in operational reality, supported by credible cost assumptions, and aligned with commercially available technologies. CGA remains willing to work with ECCC to identify a practical and effective path forward.
For media enquiries or further information, please contact:
Meeta Singh, Director, Communications
MSingh@cga.ca or call 613-601-8474
About the Canadian Gas Association (CGA)
The Canadian Gas Association (CGA) is the voice of Canada’s gas energy delivery industry, including natural gas, renewable natural gas (RNG) and hydrogen. CGA membership includes energy distribution and transmission companies, equipment manufacturers, and suppliers of goods and services to the industry. CGA’s utility members are Canadian-owned and active in eight provinces and one territory. The Canadian natural gas delivery industry meets almost 40 per cent of Canada’s energy needs through a network of almost 600,000 kilometres of underground infrastructure. The versatility and resiliency of this infrastructure allow it to deliver an ever-changing gas supply mix to over 7.6 million customer locations, representing approximately two-thirds of Canadians.