. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/CAN/107 
8 October 2004  
 
(04-4224) 
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:  info@scc.ca 
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 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):   Diesel Fuel 
(ICS: 75.160) 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document:   Proposed Amendment 
to the Sulphur in Diesel Fuel Regulations  (Pages 2703-2729;  in English and French) 
6. Description of content:   The purpose of the proposed Regulations Amending the Sulphur in 
Diesel Fuel Regulations (hereinafter referred to as the “proposed Regulations”) is to reduce 
harmful emissions from diesel-powered engin es and equipment used in off-road, rail and 
marine applications.  To accomplish this, th e proposed Regulations will establish limits for 
sulphur levels in diesel fuel produced, importe d or sold for these uses. Under the existing 
Sulphur in Diesel Fuel Regulations (ref. G/TBT/N/CAN/23),  published in Part II of the 
Canada Gazette  on 31 July 2002, such limits exist for diesel fuel used for on-road purposes 
but not for off-road, rail or marine applications.  
The existing Regulations limit the level of sul phur in on-road diesel fuel to a maximum of 
500 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) until 200 6, when the limit will be reduced to 
15 mg/kg.  The proposed Regulations will introduce the same 500 mg/kg requirement for 
off-road, rail and marine diesel fuels  starting in 2007, reducing to 15 mg/kg in 2010 for off-
road diesel fuel and in 2012 for rail and marine diesel fuel.  These amendments are necessary to further contribute to the protec tion of the environment and human health 
through the reduction of harmful emissions fro m diesel-powered engines and equipment.  
 
The key elements of the proposed  Regulations are as follows:  
 — as of June 1, 2007, sulphur in off-road, rail and marine diesel fuels that are produced or 
imported for use or sale in Canada will be  limited to a maximum of 500 mg/kg;  
 G/TBT/N/CAN/107 
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— as of October 1, 2007, sulphur in off-road, ra il and marine diesel fuels that are sold or 
offered for sale in Canada will be lim ited to a maximum of 500 mg/kg;  
— as of June 1, 2010, sulphur in off-road diesel fuel that is produced or imported for use or sale in Canada will be limited to a maximum of 15 mg/kg;   
— as of September 1, 2010, sulphur in off-road di esel fuel that is sold or offered for sale in 
Canada will be limited to a maximum of 15 mg/kg;   — as of June 1, 2012, sulphur in off-road, rail and marine diesel fuel that is produced or 
imported for use or sale in Canada will be limited to a maximum of 15 mg/kg; diesel fuel 
that is sold or offered for sale for use in lo comotives or marine vessels will remain subject 
to the 500 mg/kg sales limit; and  
— in the Northern Supply  Area (as defined in the Sulphur in Diesel Fuel Regulations ), the 
500 mg/kg limit for sales of off-road rail and marine diesel fuels will come into effect on December 1, 2008, while the 15 mg/kg limit for sal es of off-road diesel fuel will come into 
effect after November 30, 2011.  
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, Pa rt I, 2 October 2004 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  not stated 
Proposed date of entry into force: 1 January 2006 
10. Final date for comments:   1 December 2004 
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 regulatory text  can be downloaded at:   
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2004/20041002/pdf/g1-13840.pdf