National lithium-ion battery safety initiative

AI summary

Petitioners ask the government to create a National Lithium‑Ion Battery Fire Safety Initiative to establish national incident reporting and research, coordinate product standards, building codes and firefighter training, and fund protective equipment and suppression technologies.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the Government of Canada Lithium-ion batteries are increasingly used in consumer electronics, e-bikes, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems across Canada; Fire services in major Canadian cities have reported dramatic increases in lithium-ion battery fires, including a more than 500% increase reported by Vancouver Fire Rescue Services since 2016 and a 591% increase reported by Toronto Fire Services between 2020 and 2024; Lithium-ion battery fires can exceed 700°C, release toxic gases, reignite hours or even days after initial suppression, and present unique hazards for fire fighters, first responders, and the public; Canada currently lacks a coordinated national framework for reporting lithium-ion battery fire incidents, conducting research, and developing evidence-based safety standards and response protocols; and A coordinated federal approach, in partnership with provinces, territories, municipalities, fire services, standards organizations, industry, and other stakeholders, would strengthen public safety and better protect fire fighters and first responders. We, the undersigned, Citizens and Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to create a National Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Safety Initiative that will: 1. Establish a national reporting and data collection system for lithium-ion battery fire incidents; 2. Support research into fire fighter exposure, health risks, and effective fire suppression techniques associated with lithium-ion battery fires; 3. Work with provinces, territories, standards organizations, and fire services to strengthen product safety standards, building codes, and fire fighter training related to lithium-ion battery hazards; and 4. Invest in protective equipment, emerging suppression technologies, and other measures that improve the safety of fire fighters, first responders, and the public.

Government response

No government response is available yet.