Reduction in the Release of Volatile Organic Compounds (Storage and Loading of Volatile Petroleum Liquids) Regulations

If you operate a petroleum terminal, refinery, upgrader, petrochemical facility, or bulk plant in Canada that stores or loads volatile petroleum liquids (like gasoline or crude oil) in significant volumes, this regulation applies to you — roughly 243 regulated facilities across the country, with Alberta and Ontario accounting for about half. You'll need to install emissions control equipment such as floating roofs or vapour recovery/destruction systems on your tanks and loading racks, conduct monthly and annual inspections, repair defects within tight timelines (as little as 15 days for vapour control systems), and keep detailed records. The government estimates total industry compliance costs at about $1.08 billion over 22 years, with capital costs of $828 million concentrated in the 2026–2030 period — roughly $215 million for Alberta facilities alone and $147 million for Ontario. On the upside, you'll recover product that currently evaporates (worth an estimated $343 million in recovered gasoline and crude oil), and compliance costs are estimated to represent only about 0.2% of annual operating expenses for typical large operators. Only about 3 small businesses are expected to be captured, as the regulations exclude small and remote facilities below defined storage and throughput thresholds.