Methane equivalency agreements for Alberta and Saskatchewan

Summary#

The Minister of the Environment has entered into and published two equivalency agreements under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. The agreements, made available on November 7, 2020, deal with methane releases from the oil and gas sector in Alberta and Saskatchewan and are posted on the Environmental Registry.

What it does#

• Announces that the Minister has entered into and made available the following agreements:
  • Agreement on the Equivalency of Federal and Alberta Regulations Respecting the Release of Methane from the Oil and Gas Sector in Alberta, 2020
  • Agreement on the Equivalency of Federal and Saskatchewan Regulations Respecting the Release of Methane from the Oil and Gas Sector in Saskatchewan, 2020
• States the action under subsection 10(7) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
• Says the agreements are available on the Environmental Registry as of November 7, 2020.
• Provides a contact: Magda Little, Director, Oil, Gas and Alternative Energy Division, Department of the Environment (Gatineau, Quebec). Email: ec.methane-methane.ec@canada.ca

Who's affected#

• Companies and operators in the oil and gas sector in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
• Provincial regulatory authorities in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
• Communities near oil and gas operations, Indigenous groups, and environmental organizations who follow methane rules and enforcement.
• The notice itself does not spell out specific changes to rules or enforcement. To know the exact legal or operational effects, readers need to look at the text of the agreements posted on the Environmental Registry.

Why it matters#

• Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and a local air-quality concern. Agreements about methane rules can affect how emissions are regulated and enforced.
• Equivalency agreements can change whether federal or provincial requirements apply in practice — but this notice only announces the agreements’ availability; it does not explain their legal effect or operational details.
• Anyone affected (operators, communities, regulators) should read the agreements or contact the listed official to understand what changes, if any, will follow.