Regulatory Update

December 2015

Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations

Description

Regulatory action is one way the Government of Canada can help Canadian consumers purchase energy efficient products that save them money, help their businesses operate more efficiently and achieve Canada’s climate change objectives.  Implemented in 1995 under the Energy Efficiency Act, the Energy Efficiency Regulations (the Regulations) are amended to prescribe new standards for energy-using products, increase the stringency of existing standards and to update testing methodologies or labelling requirements. They are aligned with standards in the United States unless there are unique Canadian circumstances.

The Government of Canada is proposing to update to the Energy Efficiency Regulations to:

• Increase minimum energy performance standards for 20 currently regulated products.
  • For 19 products, standards will align with requirements in force or soon to be in force in the United States:
    • Residential Appliances (9): central air conditioners and heat pumps, clothes dryers, clothes washers (aligning to two United States standards: 2015 and 2018), integrated washer-dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, room air conditioners, oil-fired storage water heaters;
    • Commercial and Industrial Products (7): chillers, commercial icemakers, commercial refrigeration equipment – self-contained, electric motors, packaged terminal air conditioners and heat pumps, refrigerated beverage vending machines, residential-style commercial clothes washers (aligning to two United States standards: 2013 and 2018); and
    • Lighting Products (3): fluorescent lamp ballasts, general service fluorescent lamps (aligning to two United States standards: 2012 and 2018), general service incandescent reflector lamps.
  • For residential gas-fired storage water heaters, align the standard in the United States that applies only to tanks with rated storage volumes less than 208 litres to all sizes of tanks in Canada.
• Repeal regulated requirements for digital television adapters.
• Make minor updates to scope, reporting and compliance requirements for 8 currently regulated products: (1) exit signs, (2) external power supplies, (3) gas fireplaces, (4) gas furnaces, (5) general services lamps, (6) large commercial air conditioners and heat pumps, (7) electric ranges and (8) televisions, to reflect updated requirements both in the United States and Canada.
• Repeal and replace the Regulations using a new and easy-to-read format and updating standards that are incorporated by reference.

Affected parties will have the opportunity to comment on proposed regulations when they are pre-published in the Canada Gazette Part I.

Natural Resources Canada expects that the approximate timing for pre-publication of the Regulations to be spring 2016; however, products described in this update and the timing of prepublication are subject to decision-making authorities under the Energy Efficiency Act.

Contact:
Debbie Scharf
Director, Equipment Division
Office of Energy Efficiency, Energy Sector
1 Observatory Crescent, Bldg #3, 2nd Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E4
equipment@nrcan.gc.ca