Regulations

Propane industry regulations and codes have been in place for many years in Canada. Industry has worked closely with regulators and governments to develop these codes and regulations in the interest of public safety.

National codes and standards are in place and are adopted by the authorities having jurisdictions in the provinces and territories across Canada. The provincial authorities may adopt different editions of the standards and may also modify the national standards for local conditions. As a result, propane industry regulations vary somewhat across Canada.

The primary codes for the propane industry are the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) series of codes:

CAN/ CAN/CSA – B149.2 – Propane Storage and Handling Code
CAN/CSA – B149.1 – Natural Gas and Propane Installation Code
CAN/CSA – B149.3 – Code for Field Approval of Fuel Related Components on Appliances and Equipment
CAN/CSA – B149.5 – Installation Code for Propane Fuel Systems and Tanks on Highway Vehicles
CSA B51 – Boiler, Pressure Vessel and Pressure Piping Code

There are various other standards and codes that are also referenced for valves, fittings, hose, connectors, appliances, components and other equipment used in propane applications. These include CGA, ANSI, ASME, CSA, ASTM, MSS, UL, ULC and ISO standards and codes. A number of the provinces refer to EN 67, a European standard for Propane Fuel System Components Certification.

The provinces are responsible for enforcing the propane regulations within their jurisdiction. Typically, the Departments of Labour are responsible for enforcement within the province however each province handles enforcement differently. In Ontario, the government has delegated the authority to the Technical Safety and Standards Authority (TSSA), a not for profit, self funded authority that administers and enforces public safety laws for fuels safety as well as other areas.

National regulations that the propane industry conforms to include the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act and the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, both of which are administered by Transport Canada. In addition, the propane industry must be in compliance with building codes and acts, fire codes and regulations, electrical codes and regulations, labour and workplace safety codes as well as municipal codes and regulations that apply to the communities where industry conducts its business.