It could be at least November before Canadians get a glimpse of how biofuel will figure in their future.
That’s the earliest the provinces and Ottawa could agree on how a biofuel strategy and mandate would be implemented.
At the first meeting of federal and provincial ministers responsible for renewable fuels, held in Regina last week, federal environment minister Rona Ambrose stuck to the government’s message that it wants a five percent blend of biofuel in gasoline and diesel by 2010.
“This is our first step in honouring our commitment that the prime minister made during the election on moving to a five percent biofuel content in Canada,” she told reporters after the May 23 meeting.
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But she stayed away from the word mandate, using words like target and strategy instead.
Some provinces, like Saskatchewan, want a 10 percent blend by 2010. Others would struggle to reach five percent.
The ministers did agree, however, to establish a framework for how Canada could go about implementing a national program.
Officials from agriculture, environment and energy departments at the provincial and federal levels will meet over the summer and the ministers will reconvene in November.
Clay Serby, Saskatchewan’s minister responsible for biofuel, said there will be extensive consultations across Canada.
At the November meeting, ministers will establish the framework for a biofuel strategy.
Meanwhile, speaking in Ste. Adolphe, Man., on the same day as the Regina meeting, federal agriculture minister Chuck Strahl said he’s committed to giving the canola industry its marching orders soon.
“I think we’re going to be able to work with them on the regulatory changes necessary in a hurry,” said Strahl.
He acknowledged that hopeful producers of biodiesel need to know there will be government regulatory support for the use of Canadian-produced biodiesel.
While most production so far has been based on soybean and corn oil, large new plants are being built in North Dakota that will likely use large amounts of Canadian canola. The plant in Velva, North Dakota, is near the border.
Archer Daniels Midland chair G. Allen Andreas said during a visit to Winnipeg last winter that his company wouldn’t consider building biodiesel production plants in Canada as long as American rules made it more attractive to build plants in that country.
The Canadian canola industry and canola producer groups have been alarmed by the construction of canola-based biodiesel plants in the United States and have called on Ottawa to quickly encourage production on this side of the border.
Strahl would not give a deadline for when the federal government will be able to supply a biodiesel policy and regulations, but said it is occurring quickly.
On June 19, Strahl is to meet with 40 representatives of national groups that want to be involved in producing biodiesel. The issue is also on the agenda for the June 26 federal-provincial meeting.
