Ethanol-free fuel now prohibited in Canada's gas stations?

[CamMann]

Noticed shell no longer had an ethanol free option here in Ontario. Been looking online, and it sounds like Canada may have prohibited gas stations from selling anything with less than 10% ethanol; starting at the end of 2022. Is that the case? Is the only remaining ethanol-free option the $11+/liter pre-mixes?

 

[Old2stroke]

Noticed shell no longer had an ethanol free option here in Ontario. Been looking online, and it sounds like Canada may have prohibited gas stations from selling anything with less than 10% ethanol; starting at the end of 2022. Is that the case? Is the only remaining ethanol-free option the $11+/liter pre-mixes?

I REALLY hope this isn't the case, up till now you could be sure you weren't getting any alcohol if you bought the highest premium available. Will have to do some testing next time I buy.

 

[rocketnorton]

stihl got it here [bc]
only place yer not gonna get any eth is chevron
dedicated hose for 94 efree
all the others have efree comin thru same hose as the cheap stuff
not a big deal for cars, etc
might be when gettin a little to mix tho

 

[Grateful11]

What a crock! From PureGas:
"Most stations in Canada are now disallowed from selling E0 by law. However, since this site is user-maintained, I am not removing Canadian stations myself. If a Canadian station is still listed, and you know that it no longer sells E0, please remove it. Thanks! (Find the station under the province listing, hit the view button, then the remove station button.) /Sam"

We lost the closest station us due to the death of the station owner. Saw it a few miles further away yesterday at $3.90/gallon at a Shell here in the states.

Welcome to the definitive list of stations that sell ethanol-free gasoline in the U.S. and Canada!

 

[CamMann]

Sounds like the legislation is to have all gas station fuel be 10% "renewable" by 2023, 13% renewable by 2028, and 15% renewable by 2030. Renewable meaning ethanol. I've also read that BC may have delayed the E10 transition by trading carbon credits for continued allowance of E0, so it may not be all of Canada yet.

Silver lining, it does look extremely simple to remove ethanol from fuel. We all know ethanol is hydrophilic; it pulls water out of the atmosphere. What I just learned is that same hydrophilic property can be used to pull ethanol out of your fuel using water. Then the layer of water/ethanol can be drained out the bottom of the separation container. If we're looking at current miniumum of 10%, creeping up to 15% in the next 7 years, I guess we'll just have to get good at removing the ethanol.

 

[HansFranz]

If you have a marina nearby, might want to try there for non-ethanol gasoline...gasohol raises hell with marine engines/boats due to all the water all around all the time... around here (Virginia) pretty much every marina sells 89 octane non-ethanol gasoline.

 

[CamMann]

If you have a marina nearby, might want to try there for non-ethanol gasoline...gasohol raises hell with marine engines/boats due to all the water all around all the time... around here (Virginia) pretty much every marina sells 89 octane non-ethanol gasoline.

definitely curious whether they'll be exempt from the legislation... I haven't found any exemptions so far though. I don't think the people writing the legislation care about anyone's old boats; they all own new boats that are fine w/ E10, E13, E15...

 

[Old2stroke]

Sounds like the legislation is to have all gas station fuel be 10% "renewable" by 2023, 13% renewable by 2028, and 15% renewable by 2030. Renewable meaning ethanol. I've also read that BC may have delayed the E10 transition by trading carbon credits for continued allowance of E0, so it may not be all of Canada yet.

Silver lining, it does look extremely simple to remove ethanol from fuel. We all know ethanol is hydrophilic; it pulls water out of the atmosphere. What I just learned is that same hydrophilic property can be used to pull ethanol out of your fuel mix with water. Then the layer of water/ethanol can be drained out the bottom of the separation container. If we're looking at current miniumum of 10%, creeping up to 15% in the next 7 years, I guess we'll just have to get good at removing the ethanol.

This is going to be like reverse moonshining, build a container with a bottom drain then load it from the top with gas and water, shake for awhile, let settle and drain off the alcohol and water. If you used the right amount of water, you could get it to come out at 80 proof (what you use to buy at the LCBO as Alcool), just add flavor of your choice for a good cocktail. Have to use a clear container and stop collecting the good stuff when you get close to the end then drain off the remainder questionable bit and discard it like the moonshiners would do with the "heads" (first liquid out of the still that has methanol and other bad stuff). Now, how do you make water and ethanol taste like a single malt whisky?

 

[Mad Professor]

Justina at work

 

[Bill G]

I live in corn country USA and still get ethanol free.

 

[HansFranz]

they all own new boats that are fine w/ E10, E13, E15..

I don't think it matters whether it's an old boat or a new boat. If it's in the water, and if the fuel tanks are vented, gasohol is gonna absorb water from the air and that's gonna cause phase separation, farked up fuel filters, rust, and $$$$$ problems -- not to mention bad juju if somebody's engine quits in an inlet or 60 miles off the beach and they gotta walk home...

 

[MudgeHollowBeaver]

"if somebody's engine quits in an inlet or 60 miles off the beach and they gotta walk home..." or in my ultralight airplane...I might get stuck up there all day

 

[lone wolf]

"if somebody's engine quits in an inlet or 60 miles off the beach and they gotta walk home..." or in my ultralight airplane...I might get stuck up there all day

Proof E gas is junk!

 

[HansFranz]

or in my ultralight airplane...I might get stuck up there all day

It ain't the falling 1000' that hurts ... it's the SUDDEN STOP!

What's the glide slope on one of those contraptions?

 

[MudgeHollowBeaver]

Canadian regs allow us to fly most light planes up to 1200 pound gross weight and a stall under 45mph, sothat could range from powered paragliders to Piper Cubs. A Lazair with a pair of Pioneer chainsaw engines has a glide ratio of 15:1, a Cub closer to 8:1, and a STOL(short takeoff and landing) CH701 is closer to a brick. Many have fiberglass fuel tanks and rubber fuel system components that the ethanol destroys.

 

[j-jock]

"if somebody's engine quits in an inlet or 60 miles off the beach and they gotta walk home..." or in my ultralight airplane...I might get stuck up there all day

As a retired airline pilot, when the fuel is gone, there is less annoying noise, but the conversation becomes stilted, and the loudest sound a person hears, is the sound, from the Captain's position, of the vacuum sucking up his seat pack.

I was told by my wholesale fuel distributor in BC, (Western Canada), that all marked gas is 91 octane, and ethanol free.
There is a site, pure-gas dot org, that lists all the places in the US and Canada that sell ethanol free fuel.
Bob

Edited to correct the spelling of the address of Pure-gas

 

[Ironhorsedoctor]

This is going to be like reverse moonshining, build a container with a bottom drain then load it from the top with gas and water, shake for awhile, let settle and drain off the alcohol and water. If you used the right amount of water, you could get it to come out at 80 proof (what you use to buy at the LCBO as Alcool), just add flavor of your choice for a good cocktail. Have to use a clear container and stop collecting the good stuff when you get close to the end then drain off the remainder questionable bit and discard it like the moonshiners would do with the "heads" (first liquid out of the still that has methanol and other bad stuff). Now, how do you make water and ethanol taste like a single malt whisky?

This is an old trick used by vintage motorcycle enthusiasts. The alcohol is attracted to the water or vis-versa and is heavier than the fuel
and settles at the bottom. Tap off the bottom and you have ethanol free fuel. Funny how they still sell HEET gas line antifreeze when you
already have minimum 10% ethanol in the fuel

 

[Ironhorsedoctor]

As a retired airline pilot, when the fuel is gone, there is less annoying noise, but the conversation becomes stilted, and the loudest sound a person hears, is the sound, from the Captain's position, of the vacuum sucking up his seat pack.

I was told by my wholesale fuel distributor in BC, (Western Canada), that all marked gas is 91 octane, and ethanol free.
There is a site, pure-gas dot org, that lists all the places in the US and Canada that sell ethanol free fuel.
Bob

Edited to correct the spelling of the address of Pure-gas

All aviation fuel is ethanol free! Alcohol attracts moisture! High altitude and gas line freeze is a terrible combination with an unlikely happy ending! Aviation fuel is also formulated differently than conventional motor fuel!

 

[j-jock]

All aviation fuel is ethanol free! Alcohol attracts moisture! High altitude and gas line freeze is a terrible combination with an unlikely happy ending! Aviation fuel is also formulated differently than conventional motor fuel!

I wasn't referring to avgas, but you are correct that all avgas is ethanol free. The problem you can have from running avgas, is that if you have a catalytic converter on the vehicle, the lead will wreck your O2 sensors as well as ruin the converter.
Gasoline formulation, is a very complex subject. For automotive use, there are different formulations for the different seasons, as well as variations depending on the geographic area. This also applies to avgas, where there is also a summer and winter formulation.

 

[HansFranz]

when the fuel is gone, there is less annoying noise, but the conversation becomes stilted

LOFL

Gotta love the euphemisms...like the way the FAA/NTSB uses the term "encountered terrain" or the USCG talks about "allision"