The end of the oil industry
On April 21, 2021, the Government of Quebec published a draft regulation on oil heating devices. This regulation, when adopted, will mark the beginning of the end for the fuel oil industry. According to the office of the Minister of the Environment and the fight against climate change, fuel oil is responsible for about 31% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the residential sector. And this, without taking into account the emission of atmospheric pollutants and the risk of accidental leaks. The gradual elimination of this polluting energy source will help achieve the greenhouse gas reduction targets of the various levels of government.
The purpose of the draft regulation is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the residential sector (small buildings), by prohibiting the installation, replacement and repair of oil-fired heating devices (furnace and water heater).
In summary, the draft regulation will impose 3 new measures:
- as of December 31, 2021, a banning on the installation of oil heating devices in new buildings;
- as of December 31, 2023, a banning on the replacement of oil-fired devices with a heater powered by fossil fuel in an existing building;
- as of December 31, 2023, a prohibition on the repairing of oil-fired devices (furnace and water heater) if it is over 20 years old.
For more than a decade now, we have witnessed a decline in the fuel oil industry directly within our client base. Requests for the installation of oil-fired devices has been virtually non-existent for years. When the oil furnace is at the end of its life, the vast majority of our customers replace it with an electric furnace and get rid of everything that is related to oil. This process will be accelerated by the adoption of the regulation.
The government has set up a subsidy program to help owners of residential buildings convert their heating system. This program is called Chauffez-Vert.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you need more information.
You can consult the draft by-law by clicking on this link: projet de reglement sur le chauffage au mazout