Our fellow vehicle enthusiast, Kim’s hope was that by sharing, it would inspire more enthusiasts to e mail their MP. It does make a difference by raising awareness and the more e mail the higher the volume. Bob Kelly

 Dear Mr. Albas 

As an active automotive enthusiast and retired chemical/environmental engineer, I am writing you to request changes to Canada’s environmental regulations to permit ethanol-free grades of premium gasoline (gasoline with octane rating of 91 or higher). 

Imposition of minimum ethanol content for all grades of gasoline has deleterious impacts for older vehicles, vehicles that are used seasonally (e.g., sports cars), small-engine power equipment that are used seasonally (e.g., lawnmowers, snow blowers), power equipment dependant of two-cycle engines (e.g., chainsaws, leafblowers) and seasonally used recreational machines (e.g., motorcycles, power boats, snowmobiles, etc.). These ethanol blended gasoline impacts impose unnecessary and unfair costs and damages on operators of affect vehicles and equipment with little or no net environmental benefit. As your constituent and as a professional with extensive experience in development and implementation of environmental regulations, including natural gas flaring and venting rules that have been recognized and adopted at an international level, I respect the role and value of sound regulation that achieves meaningful, positive life-cycle and cost-effective environmental outcomes. Unfortunately a universal ethanol blended gasoline mandate is not that. 

Collector vehicles in particular, are experiencing significant engine and fuel concerns leading to expensive repairs and or replacement. Ethanol in gasoline is hydroscopic, it absorbs water from air. Over time such as is the case with seasonally used vehicles and equipment, this can lead to phase separation. In older vehicles the corrosive water-rich phase rusts steel fuel tanks and fuel lines. Older fuel systems have seals that are degraded by ethanol leading to leaks, expensive repairs and fire risks. Even in more modern vehicles water contaminated fuel can damage fuel injectors and other sensitive fuel system components. 

Perhaps the most damning aspect of ethanol-blended gasoline is that it increases food costs, land use impacts, water consumption, pollution from agriculture and net carbon emissions. Recent peer-reviewed research published by the US National Academy of Sciences (https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2101084119) had the following findings: 

“The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) specifies the use of biofuels in the United States and thereby guides nearly half of all global biofuel production, yet outcomes of this keystone climate and environmental regulation remain unclear. Here we combine econometric analyses, land use observations, and biophysical models to estimate the realized effects of the RFS in aggregate and down to the scale of individual agricultural fields across the United States. We find that the RFS increased corn prices by 30% and the prices of other crops by 20%, which, in turn, expanded US corn cultivation by 2.8 Mha (8.7%) and total cropland by 2.1 Mha (2.4%) in the years following policy enactment (2008 to 2016). These changes increased annual nationwide fertilizer use by 3 to 8%, increased water quality degradants by 3 to 5%, and caused enough domestic land use change emissions such that the carbon intensity of corn ethanol produced under the RFS is no less than gasoline and likely at least 24% higher. These tradeoffs must be weighed alongside the benefits of biofuels as decision-makers consider the future of renewable energy policies and the potential for fuels like corn ethanol to meet climate mitigation goals.” 

It appears that the ethanol blended fuel regulation is at cross purposes and of little benefit. Allowing ethanol-free premium grade gasoline to be sold in Canada is a reasonable policy. 

A Canada wide survey done by the National Association of Automobile Clubs of Canada suggests that Canadians drive their collector cars 1,300 kilometers or less, on average, per year. Collector and performance vehicle owners contribute hundreds of millions of dollars each year to the Canadian economy. Through their clubs like Summerland’s Apple Valley Cruisers, they support many charities and contribute vast sums of money, time and effort to ensure a quality of life is maintained. In 2023 nine Provinces in Canada declared Collector Car Appreciation Day and designated July as Automotive Heritage Month. Please help us to keep our collector and hobby vehicles free from deterioration caused by ethanol blended fuel. 

Yours sincerely 

Kim Eastlick