It is difficult to ascertain current levels of fuel ethanol use in Canada. In the U.S., it now represents about 9% of total gasoline sales, or the equivalent of the total Canadian gasoline consumption. Over two trillion kilometres have been traveled using fuel ethanol blends.
Retailers of Ethanol Fuels
Across Canada, there are 929 retailers of ethanol-blended fuels (November, 1998), excluding those who are not listed with the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association. Ethanol blends are sold at the same price as conventional fuels.
The first Canadian commercial venture into renewable fuels in Canada was by Mohawk Oil Company Ltd., a British Columbia-based firm, in the 1980s. This company renovated a distillery in Minnedosa, Manitoba and began retailing wheat-based ethanol blends across Western Canada. In 1992, UCO Petroleum (now UPI Inc.) first launched ethanol blends in Ontario. Retailers from this province, where the bulk of production is based on corn, are now the national leaders in selling ethanol blends. The Province of Quebec began retailing ethanol blends in 1995, and now has the second largest retailing base in the country.
Mohawk Oil is presently selling ethanol blends at over 290 stations in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, the Yukon and Northern Ontario. Across southern Ontario, UPI Inc. retails ethanol blends at over 60 UPI Inc., FS and Co-op gasbars and cardlocks. It is available in all grades of gasoline and for on-farm delivery. On January 1, 1998, Sunoco Inc. launched ethanol-enhanced fuels at all of its 275 retail outlets in Ontario. In eastern Ontario and western Quebec, MacEwen Petroleum Inc. is retailing ethanol blends at over 60 locations. Fuel ethanol retailing has expanded into Quebec with over 100 Sonic stations and other independent retail outlets. Other companies that have joined in the retailing of ethanol-blended fuels include Mr. Gas, Pioneer Petroleum, Frances Fuels, Stinson Petroleum and Sunys.
Where can I get more information?
Canadian Renewable Fuels Association
90 Woodlawn Rd. W., Guelph, Ontario N1H 1B2
Telephone: (519)-767-0431
Fax: (519)-837-1674
E-mail: publicinfo@greenfuels.org
Rev. 11/25/1998