. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/CAN/236 
7 May 2008 
 (08-2170) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English/ 
 French 
 
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   CANADA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   Department of the Environment 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   Canadian Enquiry 
Point, 200-270 Albert Street, Ottawa, Onta rio, Canada, K1P 6N7 Tel.:  +1 613 238 3222, 
Fax.: +1 613 569 7808, E-mail: enquirypoint@scc.ca  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [ X  ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:         
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):   General architectural, 
high-performance industrial maintenance and tra ffic marking coatings (ICS: 13.220, 25.220, 
71.100, 77.060, 87.040, 91.060, 91.100) 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Proposed Volatile 
Organic Compound (VOC) Concentration Limits for Architectural Coatings Regulations 
(38 pages, in English and French). 
6. Description of content:    
The purpose of the proposed Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Concentration Limits for 
Architectural Coatings Regulations (the propo sed Regulations), to be made pursuant to 
subsection 93(1) of the Canadian Environm ental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999), is to 
protect the environment and health of Canadian s by setting VOC concentration limits for 49 
categories of architectural coatings identified in the table in subsection 1(2) of the Schedule to the proposed Regulations.  
The proposed Regulations would apply, with  the exceptions identified in the proposed 
Regulations, to general architectural, high-pe rformance industrial maintenance and traffic 
marking coatings (paints, stains, lacquers, etc.) that are manufactured, imported, offered for sale or sold in Canada.  
In 2005, Canadian urban VOC emissions (which  exclude upstream oil and gas, oil sands 
development and forest fires) were estimated  to be 1 383 kilotonnes (kt). Solvent use 
accounted for 25% of these emissions, with architectural coatings accounting for an estimated 51 kt. It is expected that the pr oposed Regulations would result in an average 
annual reduction in VOC emissions from the se sources of over 28%, with an aggregate 
reduction of about 506 kt of VOC emissions over 25 years. G/TBT/N/CAN/236 
Page 2  
 
  The proposed VOC concentration limits have been  developed to align with requirements in 
those U.S. states that are members of the Ozone Transport Commission (OTC), with adaptations to enhance clarity, consider the unique characteristics of the Canadian market 
and climate, and ensure that maximum reductions in VOC emissions are effectively and efficiently achieved. 
 
Prohibition  
The proposed Regulations would prohibit the manufacture, sale or import of architectural 
coatings with concentrations of VOCs in excess  of the category-specific limits set out in 
column two of the Schedule. A most-restrictiv e-limit provision is included in section 7 of 
the proposed Regulations to ensure that coatings  with multiple uses meet the lowest possible 
VOC concentration limits.  
Other provisions  
The proposed Regulations also include provisions  defining methods for the determination of 
VOC concentrations and other test methods, labelling requirements and record keeping. 
These provisions are included to facilitate th e operation and enforcement of the proposed 
Regulations. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of the environment and human health 
8. Relevant documents:    
Canada Gazette,  Part I, 26 April 2008, Pages 1257-1294 (available in English and French). 
In October 2006, the Government of Canada published the Notice of intent to develop and 
implement regulations and other measures to reduce air emissions (the notice of intent) 
(notified as G/TBT/N/CAN/181). The notice of intent outlined the approach that would be 
taken to reduce the emission of air pollutants, including  a commitment to propose 
regulations under CEPA 1999 to limit the concen tration of VOCs in architectural coatings. 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
 
Proposed date of entry into force:    Normally within 18 months of publication in 
the Canada Gazette, Part I. 
On the date the measure is adopted.  The 
effective dates for prohibitions applicable to 
the manufacture and import of each of the 49 
categories range from one to five years following the date of adoption. 
10. Final date for comments:   25 June 2008 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:   
The electronic version of the regulator y text can be downloaded at:   
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2008/20080426/pdf/g1-14217.pdf (Canada Gazette ) 
or  
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/part I/2008/20080426/html/regle1-e.html#k119  (English)   
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2008/20080426/html/regle1-f.html (French)