Archived: Technical guidance on reporting greenhouse gas emissions: chapter 1
1. Reporting Process Overview
The legal basis for the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Program (GHGRP) is the Notice with respect to reporting of greenhouse gases (GHGs) for [a specified year], which is published annually in the Canada Gazette, Part I under the authority of subsection 46(1) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999).
The current GHG reporting requirements stipulate that all persons who operate a facility that emits 50 000 tonnes (or 50 kt) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 eq) (the reporting threshold) or more of GHGs in the calendar year are subject to the reporting requirements and must report their emissions information to Environment and Climate Change Canada. Facilities need to calculate their total direct emissions (in CO2 eq units) of the GHGs covered by this reporting requirement to determine if they are required to report.
If the facility’s emissions meet or exceed the reporting threshold, the facility is required to submit a report (see Figure 1 for an overview of the reporting process). If the facility’s emissions fall below the reporting threshold, the facility is not required to submit a report but is encouraged to submit a voluntary report nonetheless.
A reporting company with a facility or facilities subject to the reporting requirements must include with the GHG emissions report a statement of certification, signed by an authorized signing officer, indicating that the information submitted is true, accurate and complete. This statement should be submitted electronically with the GHG report through the online reporting system.
The reporting company may also submit, with the GHG report, a written request that the reported information be treated as confidential. If applicable, the reporting company must complete the confidentiality request process, which includes preparing the written request and submitting it with the report to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
The information that must be submitted includes general information about the reporting company and facility (e.g., name, address/location, contacts, parent companies, various identifiers) and the GHG emissions information for the facility in question. Each facility is required to report total direct GHG emissions as per the reporting format described in Section 4 of this document.
If the person who operates a facility changes during the calendar year, the person who operates the facility as of December 31st of that year shall report for the entire calendar year. If operations at a facility are terminated during the calendar year, the last operator of that facility is required to report for the portion of the calendar year during which the facility was in operation.
All information (i.e., the GHG report, statement of certification and confidentiality request, if applicable) must be submitted by the June 1st reporting deadline.
If a facility reported emissions in a previous year but does not meet the current year’s reporting threshold, it is required to notify Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Pollutant Inventories and Reporting Division. Facilities can submit a Does Not Meet Criteria notification online through the Single Window System.
For any questions about Environment and Climate Change Canada’s GHGRP, please contact:
Pollutant Inventories and Reporting Division
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Telephone: 819-938-3258 or toll-free at 1-877-877-8375
Email: ec.ges-ghg.ec@canada.ca
Figure 1: Reporting Process Overview
Long Description
Figure 1 is a flow chart of the reporting process overview. Step 1: Calculate the facilities emissions for the calendar year. Step 2: Do the emissions meet or exceed the reporting threshold? If the answer is No, then the facility is not required to report its emissions, but is encouraged to submit a voluntary report nonetheless. In these circumstances, if the facility has not submitted a report the previous year, there is no further action required, but if the facility has submitted a report the previous year, it must submit a “Does not meet Criteria” notification for the current year. If the emissions meet or exceed the reporting threshold (Step 2), then the facility is required to report its emissions. Step 3: The user gains access to the reporting system to complete the secure registration step. Step 4: The facility must then complete the general information about the company and facility. Step 5: The facility must complete the emissions data. If you do not wish to submit a confidentiality request, then step 6 is to submit the emission report and the Statement of Certification online, which completes the reporting process. If you do wish to submit a confidentiality request, then step 6 is to declare your intention to request confidentiality online. Once you have declared your intention, step 7 is to prepare and attach your written request for confidentiality, and step 8 is to submit the emissions report, the confidentiality request and the Statement of Certification online. Note that the deadline for submission of all required information including written requests for confidentiality is June 1st.