Facility greenhouse gas reporting: overview of 2023 reported emissions

Summary

A report that provides information on the latest greenhouse gas emissions data reported by Canadian facilities and their trends over the years. Results are presented as key data tables.

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Highlights

1. Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program

The Government of Canada established the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) in March 2004 under the authority of section 46 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) to annually collect GHG emissions information from Canadian facilities. A notice is published periodically (i.e. every two years, since 2022) in the Canada Gazette that describes the reporting requirements under the program, and any facility subject to the reporting criteria is required to report. To date, facility-reported GHG information has been collected and published through the GHGRP for the period of 2004 to 2023. This program is part of ongoing efforts to develop and maintain, in collaboration with several Canadian provincial government jurisdictions, a harmonized and efficient GHG reporting system that minimizes duplication and reporting burden for industry and governments. Key objectives of the program are to provide Canadians with consistent information on GHG emissions from large, individual emitters, inform the development of the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory and support regulatory initiatives. Data collected are also shared with provinces and territories.

In December 2016, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) published a Notice of Intent to inform stakeholders of its intent to expand the GHGRP, and specific requirements were expanded progressively over two phases during 2017 and 2018. Starting with 2017 data, the reporting threshold was lowered from 50 kilotonnes (kt) to 10 kt of GHGs in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 eq.) units. Facilities in 13 industry sectors were also required to use prescribed methods issued by ECCC to quantify their emissions and to report additional information on their calculations. These industry sectors were: cement, lime, aluminium, iron and steel manufacturing, mining, ethanol production, electricity and heat generation, ammonia production, nitric acid production, hydrogen production, petroleum refineries, pulp and paper production, and base metal production. As part of the expansion efforts in 2017, ECCC also began collecting information from facilities engaged in CO2 capture, transport, injection, and geological storage activities.

ECCC will continue to assess potential changes and further expand reporting requirements under the GHGRP, with the aim of facilitating the direct use of the facility data in the National GHG Inventory, thus better reflecting emission changes occurring at individual facilities. Expansion will also continue to focus on improving the granularity, consistency and comparability of GHG data across Canada, and obtain a more comprehensive picture of facility emissions.

ECCC has completed the collection and review of GHG emissions information for the 2023 calendar year. Any facility with annual GHG emissions of 10 kt CO2 eq. or higher in 2023 was required to report to the program. The Notice with respect to reporting of greenhouse gases (GHGs) for 2022 and 2023, published in the Canada Gazette on January 28, 2023Footnote 3, reflects the federal reporting requirements for 2023 data, which facilities submitted to ECCC by June 3, 2024. The data used in this overview report are current as of October 17, 2024. Subsequent company updates or new reports received will be included in future data releases.

ECCC published the Notice with respect to reporting of greenhouse gases (GHGs) for 2024 and 2025Footnote 4 in the Canada Gazette on December 9, 2023. This notice covers two years of reporting, outlining the federal reporting requirements for 2024 and 2025 data, scheduled to be submitted by facilities to ECCC by June 2, 2025, and June 1, 2026, respectively. This combined notice continues the expanded requirements for the sectors and activities identified above while also incorporating several changes that were consulted on during summer 2023. Further expansion of the program will be evaluated for future reporting cycles.

2. Reported 2023 greenhouse gas emissions

For the purposes of the GHGRP, a facilityFootnote 5 is defined as an integrated facility, pipeline transportation system, or offshore installation. An integrated facility is defined as all buildings, equipment, structures, on-site transportation machinery, and stationary items that are located on a single site, on multiple sites or between multiple sites that are owned or operated by the same person or persons and that function as a single integrated site, excluding public roads.

A total of 1862 facilities reported their GHG emissions to Environment and Climate Change Canada for the 2023 calendar year, collectively emitting a total of 291 Mt of GHGsFootnote 6 (Figure 1). Of these facilities, 602 reported GHG emission levels greater than 50 kt, accounting for 92% (266 Mt) of the total reported emissions, and 57 emitted more than 1 Mt, accounting for over half (52% or 151 Mt) of the overall total emissions (Figure 2a). These highest emitters fall within several industrial sectors that include oil sands extraction (47%), electric power generation (22%), petroleum refineries (8%), and primary metal manufacturing (9%) such as iron, steel, and aluminium (Figure 2b).

Figure 1: Map of facilities reporting 2023 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to Environment and Climate Change Canada
Figure 1: Map of facilities reporting 2023 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to Environment and Climate Change Canada
Long description

Figure 1 is a map of facilities that reported their 2023 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to Environment and Climate Change Canada. The map excludes pipeline transportation systems. As shown, the distribution of facilities is uneven across the country, reflecting the concentration of large industrial facilities in certain provinces relative to others. Facilities are highly aggregated in Alberta and in the Windsor (Ontario) to Quebec City (Quebec) corridor. In contrast, the map shows a lower number of facilities located in Manitoba, Maritime provinces, and territories.

Notes:
a. Map excludes pipeline transportation systems that reported to the program.
b. Map provided by the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators program.

Among all reported facilities, 1092 reported GHG emission levels in the 10 to 50 kt range, accounting for 8% (24 Mt) of the total reported emissions. These facilities belong to a number of sectors, such as oil and gas extraction (529 facilities), waste treatment and disposal (71 facilities), and food manufacturing (63 facilities).

Facilities with emissions falling below the reporting threshold of 10 kt per year can voluntarily report their GHG emissions; 168 facilities did so for the 2023 calendar year, representing 0.2% (0.70 Mt) of total emissions. All voluntarily reported emissions are included in this report and in the dataset published by Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Figure 2a: Contribution of facilities in various emission ranges to total reported emissions (2023)
Figure 2a: Contribution of facilities in various emission ranges to total reported emissions (2023)
Long description

Figure 2a is a column and scatter chart showing the number of facilities falling within various emission ranges and their combined contribution to the total emissions reported to the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program for 2023. The following table displays the number of reporting facilities by emission range and their contribution to the 2023 overall GHG total.

Contribution of Facilities in Various Emission Ranges to Total Reported Emissions (2023)
Emission Range
(kt CO2 eq.)
Number of Reporting Facilities % of Total Reported Emissions
Below 10 168 0.2%
10 to < 50 1092 8%
50 to < 100 248 6%
100 to < 500 228 17%
500 to < 1 000 69 17%
Over 1 000 57 52%
Total 1862 100%

Note: Facilities in the 0-10 kt range voluntarily reported their emissions.

Figure 2b: Breakdown of 2023 emissions by sector for facilities with total emissions over 1000 kt CO2 eq.
Figure 2b: Breakdown of 2023 emissions by sector for facilities with total emissions over 1000 kt CO2 eq.
Long description

Figure 2b is a pie chart that shows a breakdown by industry sector for reporting facilities with annual GHG emissions greater than 1000 kilotonnes. The following table displays the percentage of total GHG emissions by industry sector for facilities in the Over 1000 kt range.

Breakdown of 2023 emissions from facilities with reported emissions over 1000 kt CO2 eq. by sector
Industry Sector % of Total
Oil sands extraction 47%
Electric power generation 22%
Petroleum refineries 8%
Primary metal manufacturing 9%
Chemical manufacturing 6%
Other 8%
Total 100%

Notes:
a. “Other” includes various types of facilities such as natural gas transportation pipelines and cement manufacturers.
Totals may not sum to the expected value due to rounding.

2.1 Emission calculation methods

Facilities reporting to the GHGRP (except those subject to expanded requirements) may choose among several available methods to calculate their GHG emissions. The methods selected by these facilities must be consistent with the methodological guidelines developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and adopted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for the preparation of national GHG inventories. Reporting facilities must indicate the types of methods used to determine the quantities of emissions reported. Such methods may include monitoring or direct measurement, mass balance, emission factors, and/or engineering estimates.

As specified in section 1, facilities in 14 industry sectors or engaged in activities covered under phases 1 and 2 of the GHGRP expansion are required to use specific quantification methods, described in Canada's Greenhouse Gas Quantification RequirementsFootnote 7.

Overall, emission factor-based methods are the most popular among facilities (Figure 3). Generally, a CO2 emission factor is a measure of the available carbon from a fuel, a feedstock, or a mass balance of an industrial or manufacturing process, such as burning a specific fuel type or producing a specific industrial product. CH4 and N2O emission factors take into consideration technology abatement and efficiency; as such, emission factors used may be general or technology-specific. Mass balance methods apply the law of conservation of mass to a facility, process, or piece of equipment, examining the difference between inputs and outputs of an operation. Direct measurement methods may use a continuous monitoring system to detect GHG concentration in gas streams, predictive emission monitoring based on measured emissions rates and process parameters, or source testing (e.g. stack sampling). Engineering estimates involve estimating emissions based on engineering principles and judgement, incorporating knowledge of the chemical or physical processes involved. Many facilities used more than one calculation method to determine their emissions.

Figure 3: Types of methods used by facilities to determine GHG emissions in 2023
Figure 3: Types of methods used by facilities to determine GHG emissions in 2023
Long description

Figure 3 is a pie chart showing the types of methods and their percent usage by facilities to calculate or measure their GHG emissions. The most common methods are those that use emissions factors, engineering estimates, or a mass balance. Facilities in specific industry sectors are required to use Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Quantification Requirements (or GHGRP Quantification Requirements) to estimate their emissions, and for 2023, Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Quantification Requirements were used 24% of the time by reporting facilities. Some facilities also rely on emissions monitoring or direct measurements. The following table displays the usage rate of these methods by facilities.

Types of Methods Used by Facilities to Determine GHG Emissions
Type of Method Usage Rate (%)
Emission Factors 43%
GHGRP Quantification Requirements 24%
Mass Balance 10%
Engineering Estimates 14%
Monitoring / Direct Measurement 9%
Total 100%

Note: Totals may not sum to the expected value due to rounding.

2.2 Greenhouse gases and global warming potentials

GHGs are not equal in their warming effect on the atmosphere. Each GHG species has its own atmospheric lifetime and radiative forcing potential (i.e. ability to trap heat), referred to as a global warming potential (GWP). GHG emissions are often calculated and reported in terms of how much CO2 would be required to produce a similar warming effect over a given time horizon. This is called the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 eq.) value and is calculated by multiplying the amount of gas by its associated metric, such as the GWP (Table 1). For example, the 100-year GWP for methane (CH4) is 28, which means that each tonne of CH4 released to the atmosphere is considered to have a cumulative warming effect over the next 100 years equivalent to emitting 28 tonnes of CO2.

ECCC uses GWP values consistent with those used in Canada’s Official GHG Inventory, as required by international reporting guidelines under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). A complete list of these GWPs can be found in the Notice with respect to reporting of greenhouse gases (GHGs) for 2022 and 2023. Starting with the collection of 2022 emissions, the GHGRP incorporated the use of updated GWP values provided in the Fifth Assessment Report of the IPCCFootnote 8 (Table 1).

Table 1: Global warming potential values for the main greenhouse gases
Greenhouse gas Updated 100-year GWP (Fifth Assessment Reportª)
Carbon dioxide (CO2) 1
Methane (CH4) 28
Nitrous oxide (N2O) 265
Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) 23 500
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), 13 species Ranges from 116 to 12 400
Perfluorocarbons (PFCs), 7 species Ranges from 6 630 to 11 100

Note:
a. GWPs were updated in 2022 and applied to all years of facility data (2004–2023) to ensure consistency and comparability in the time series, without affecting emission trends.

2.3 Reported GHG emissions by gas

CO2 represented the majority (93%) of the total reported emissions in 2023, while methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions contributed 6% and 0.8%, respectively (Figure 4). Facilities are also required to report emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) stemming from industrial processes or industrial product use. The combined emissions of these gases accounted for the remaining 0.4% (1.1 Mt).

Figure 4: Reported 2023 greenhouse gas emissions by gas
Figure 4: Reported 2023 greenhouse gas emissions by gas
Long description

Figure 4 is a pie chart showing the breakdown of reported 2023 GHG emissions by gas. Facilities reported 291 megatonnes of total GHG emissions in 2023. The greenhouse gases reported by facilities are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and perfluorocarbons (PFCs). The following table displays the breakdown of 2023 GHG emissions by gas.

Reported 2023 Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Gas
Greenhouse Gas % of Total Reported Emissions
CO2 93%
CH4 6%
N2O 0.8%
HFCs, PFCs, and SF6 0.4%
Total 100%

Note: Totals may not sum to the expected value due to rounding.

2.4 Reported GHG emissions by source

When reporting to the GHGRP, facilities are required to report GHG emissions under the following emission source categoriesFootnote 9: stationary fuel combustion, industrial processes, fugitive sources including venting, flaring and leakage, on-site transportation, waste and wastewaterFootnote 10. Stationary fuel combustion is the largest source of reported emissions, representing 74% of the total (Figure 5) and CO2 is the predominant gas released from this activity (Figure 6). This source includes emissions resulting from the burning of fuels for the purpose of producing energy (e.g., to generate electricity, heat, or steam), but does not include emissions from combustion engines in vehicles or mobile equipment, which are grouped under on-site transportation. Any waste material burned or incinerated at a facility to produce energy is also included in stationary combustion. CO2 emissions from the combustion of biomass materials must be reported to the GHGRP but are not included in the facility-reported totalFootnote 11. Industrial process emissions, the second-largest source of reported emissions at 13%, refer to emissions stemming from specific industrial processes involving chemical or physical reactions other than combustion. Such reactions occur, for example, in the processes of mineral production (e.g., lime, cement), metal production (e.g., iron, steel, aluminium) and chemical production (e.g., nitric acid and ammonia). Key sources of reported CH4 emissions include waste emissions from the disposal and treatment of solid waste at landfills and fugitive emissions from fossil fuel production (coal, oil, and natural gas).

As of 2017, ECCC began collecting information from facilities engaged in CO2 capture, transport, injection, and geological storage (collectively called carbon capture, transport and storage, or CCTS) activities. In 2023, 17 facilities reported quantities of CO2 from different components under this set of CCTS activities. These facilities were located in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Among these, two facilities engaged in long-term geological storage, reporting a collective total of 1090 kt of captured CO2 that was injected and stored underground. Additionally, six facilities injected captured CO2 for enhanced oil recovery, using a total of 3177 of CO2 with about a third of the captured CO2 volumes imported from the US.

Figure 5: Reported 2023 greenhouse gas emissions by emission source
Figure 5: Reported 2023 greenhouse gas emissions by emission source
Long description

Figure 5 is a pie chart showing the breakdown of reported 2023 GHG emissions by emission source category. Facilities reported 291 megatonnes of total GHG emissions in 2023. The following table displays the breakdown of 2023 GHG emissions by specific categories of emission sources.

Reported 2023 Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Source
Emission Source Category % of Total Emissions
Stationary Fuel Combustion 74%
Industrial Processes 13%
On-site Transportation 3%
Waste 3%
Venting 3%
Flaring 2%
Leakage 1%
Wastewater 0.2%
Total 100%

Note: Totals may not sum to the expected value due to rounding.

The distribution of greenhouse gases released from each emission source varies (Figure 6). The emissions stemming from stationary fuel combustion, industrial processes, venting, flaring, and on-site transportation are dominated by CO2. However, the emission sources including wastewater, waste, and fugitive leakage are the main contributors to the reported emissions of methane (CH4). Emissions of HFCs, PFCs, and SF6 are captured under the industrial processes category and include quantities released when used as an industrial product (e.g., used as a cover gas, foam blowing). N2O emissions were reported, mostly in very small quantities (< 2% of total emissions in most categories), but make up a significant portion of the emissions captured in the wastewater category (57%).

Figure 6: Distribution of greenhouse gases from each emission source (2023)
Figure 6: Distribution of greenhouse gases from each emission source (2023)
Long description

Figure 6 is a bar chart showing the distributions of gases within each emission source category in 2023. The following table displays the total of gases in tonnes within each emissions source category.

  Stationary Fuel Combustion Industrial Processes Venting Flaring Leakage On-site Transportation Waste Wastewater
CO2 98% 97% 71% 93% 17% 98% 4% 2%
CH4 1% 0% 29% 7% 83% 0% 95% 41%
N2O 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 2% 1% 57%
HFCs, PFCs, and SF6 0% 3% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

2.5 Reported GHG emissions by province/territory

Facilities in the province of Alberta accounted for the largest share of reported emissions, with approximately 53% of the total, followed by facilities in Ontario (17%), Saskatchewan (10%) and Quebec (8%; Table 2). The number of facilities, the quantity and types of fuels consumed, and the predominant industry largely explain this regional distribution. For example, over half of the reported emissions from Alberta are from the oil and gas extraction and oil sands subsectors, while in Ontario and Quebec, reported emissions from the manufacturing sector dominate the facility-level data collected under the program. More information on the regional distribution of reported emissions across different industry sectors is provided in Section 3.2.

Table 2: Reported 2023 greenhouse gas emissions by province/territory
Province / Territory Number of Facilities Total Emissions
(kt CO2 eq.)
Percentage of Total Emissions
Newfoundland and Labrador 15 3,189 1%
Prince Edward Island 3 53 0.02%
Nova Scotia 23 5,831 2%
New Brunswick 25 6,727 2%
Quebec 198 22,885 8%
Ontario 414 49,568 17%
Manitoba 39 2,435 1%
Saskatchewan 140 28,417 10%
Alberta 782 152,898 53%
British Columbia 205 17,247 6%
Nunavut 8 668 0.2%
Northwest Territories 8 643 0.2%
Yukon 2 32 0.01%
Total 1,862 290,592 100%

2.6 Reported GHG emissions by sector

When completing a report for the GHGRP, a reporter is required to identify the main activities occurring at its facility using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)Footnote 12. In 2023, three NAICS-defined industry sectors accounted for the majority of GHG emissions: the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector (NAICS 21), representing 42% (123 Mt) of total reported emissions; the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 31-33), accounting for 29% (85 Mt); and the Utilities sector (NAICS 22), primarily facilities generating electricity from fossil fuels, accounting for 20% (59 Mt; Figure 7). The remaining 8% (23 Mt) of emissions captured under “Other” were reported by various types of facilities, mainly natural gas transportation pipelines (11 Mt) and waste management facilities (9 Mt).

Figure 7: Reported 2023 greenhouse gas emissions by industry sector
Figure 7: Reported 2023 greenhouse gas emissions by industry sector
Long description

Figure 7 is a pie chart showing the breakdown of reported 2023 GHG emissions by main industry sector. These sectors are: the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector, the Utilities sector, and the Manufacturing sector. The “Other” category, accounting for 8% of total reported emissions, includes facilities that fall into industry sectors other than those already mentioned, such as natural gas transportation pipelines, solid waste landfills, universities, hospitals, and public administration buildings. The following table displays the breakdown of 2023 GHG emissions by industry sector.

Reported 2023 Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Industry Sector
Industry Sector % of Total
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction 42%
Manufacturing 29%
Utilities 20%
Other 8%
Total 100%

Notes:
a. "Other" is not a NAICS sector but a grouping of various NAICS codes reported by the following types of facilities: natural gas transportation pipelines, solid waste landfills, airports, universities, hospitals, and public administration buildings.
Totals may not sum to the expected value due to rounding.

Activities of reporting facilities in the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector (Figure 8) can be further broken down into three main subcategories:

  1. Oil sands extraction (63% of sector emissions)
  2. Oil and gas extraction (except oil sands) (28%)
  3. Mining (9%)
    1. Metal ore mining (e.g. iron ore) (4%)
    2. Coal mining (3%)
    3. Non-metallic mineral mining and quarrying (2%)

The oil sands extraction subsector includes facilities involved in oil sands mining as well as in-situ bitumen production and heavy oil/bitumen upgrading. Coverage of emissions from the oil and gas extraction (except oil sands) subsector grew considerably when more natural gas processing plants, oil/gas battery operations and compressor stations were required to report to the GHGRP due to the threshold change in 2017 (from 50 kt to 10 kt). The number of reporting facilities in this subsector rose from 114 (19% of reported emissions in this sector) to 720 (31%). Between 2022 and 2023, there was an increase of 13 facilities reporting to this subsector.

 
 Figure 8: Reported 2023 greenhouse gas emissions by subsectors of mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
Figure 8: Reported 2023 greenhouse gas emissions by subsectors of mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
Long description

Figure 8 is a pie chart showing the breakdown of the 2023 GHG emissions reported by subsectors of the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector. Facilities in this sector reported 123 megatonnes of total GHG emissions in 2023. The following table displays the breakdown of 2023 GHG emissions from the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector by industry subsector.

Reported 2023 Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Subsectors of Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
Industry Subsector % of Total
Oil Sands Extraction 63%
Oil and Gas Extraction (except oil sands) 28%
Metal Ore Mining 4%
Coal Mining 3%
Non-metallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying 2%
Total 100%

Notes:
a. Includes facilities engaged in oil sands mining, in-situ bitumen production and upgrading.
Totals may not sum to the expected value due to rounding.

The Manufacturing sector (Figure 9) includes a wide range of industrial activities, with important contributors to the reported 2023 emissions being:

  1. Petroleum and coal product manufacturing (21% of sector emissions).
  2. Iron and steel manufacturing (18%).
  3. Basic chemical manufacturing (e.g., ethylene, polyethylene, hydrogen gas; 15%).
  4. Cement and concrete product manufacturing (13%).

Similar to the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector, the number of reporting facilities within the Manufacturing sector increased due to the threshold change in 2017. For example, the number of reporting facilities in the food, beverage, and tobacco products manufacturing subsector grew from 15 in 2016 to 105 in 2023, and their respective contribution to the reported total for Manufacturing increased from 1% to 3%.

Figure 9: Reported 2023 greenhouse gas emissions by subsectors of manufacturing
Figure 9: Reported 2023 greenhouse gas emissions by subsectors of manufacturing
Long description

Figure 9 is a pie chart showing the breakdown of 2023 GHG emissions reported by subsectors of the Manufacturing sector. Facilities in this sector reported 85 megatonnes of total GHG emissions in 2023. The following table displays the breakdown of 2023 GHG emissions from the Manufacturing sector by industry subsector.

Reported 2023 Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Subsectors of Manufacturing
Industry Subsector % of Total
Petroleum and Coal Products 21%
Iron and Steel Manufacturing 18%
Basic Chemicals 15%
Cement and Concrete Products 13%
Alumina and Aluminium Production and Processing 8%
Wood Products and Paper 7%
Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemicals 7%
Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Products 3%
Lime and Gypsum Products 2%
Non-Ferrous Metal (except Aluminium) Manufacturing 2%
Other Manufacturing 3%
Total 100%

Notes:
a. Non-Ferrous Metal (except Aluminium) Manufacturing includes the production of base metals (e.g., copper, nickel, zinc).
b. “Other Manufacturing” represents other types of manufacturing, including electrical equipment, transportation equipment and furniture manufacturing.
Totals may not sum to the expected value due to rounding.

Reported emissions from facilities with activities outside of the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction, Manufacturing, and Utilities sectors are grouped under the “Other” category (Figure 10). Natural gas transportation pipelines account for 47% of the reported emissions in this group, followed by facilities in the waste management and remediation services subsector (mostly landfills), with 40% of reported emissions.

In the waste management and remediation services subsector, more facilities are now required to report to the GHGRP following the 2017 threshold change from 50 to 10 kt CO2 eq. As a result, the number of reporting facilities in this subsector increased from 59 in 2016 to 151 in 2023. Though facilities in this subsector represented only a small portion (8%) of all reporting facilities for 2023, these facilities are an important source of reported methane emissions, accounting for 48% (or 9 Mt CO2 eq.) of the total reported methane emissions (18 Mt CO2 eq.) in 2023.

Figure 10: Reported 2023 greenhouse gas emissions by facility types grouped under “other” category
Figure 10: Reported 2023 greenhouse gas emissions by facility types grouped under “other” category
Long description

Figure 10 is a pie chart showing the breakdown of 2023 GHG emissions reported by industry sectors grouped under the “Other” category. Facilities grouped under the “Other” category reported 23 megatonnes of total GHG emissions for 2023. The following table displays the breakdown of 2023 GHG emissions by facility types included in the "Other" category.

Reported 2023 Greenhouse Gas Emissions for the "Other" Category
Industry Subsector under "Other" % of Total
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 47%
Waste Management and Remediation Services 40%
Educational Services and Health Care 5%
Miscellaneous 7%
Total 100%

Notes:
a. “Miscellaneous” is a grouping of various NAICS codes reported by facilities such as greenhouses and public administration buildings.
Totals may not sum to the expected value due to rounding.

The sources of emissions from the different industry sectors vary by subsector; most have fuel combustion as the major source from their activities (Table 3). One notable exception is iron and steel manufacturing, where most emissions come from industrial processes. Other subsectors with significant industrial process emissions include basic chemical manufacturing, alumina and aluminium production and processing, and cement and concrete product manufacturing. Venting emissions are mainly reported by petroleum refineries, oil and gas extraction facilities, and pipeline operations. Facilities involved in oil sands extraction, coal mining, and metal ore mining accounted for the majority of emissions from on-site transportation.

Table 3: Breakdown of reported greenhouse gas emissions by emission source and by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) industry sector for 2023 (Units: kt CO2 eq.)
NAICSa
Industry Sector
Number of facilities Stationary Fuel Combustion Industrial Processes Fugitive Venting Fugitive Flaring Fugitive Leakage On-site Transportation Waste Wastewater
Total 1833 203766 34089 6555 5947 4285 9240 9192 645
21 - Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction (total) 855 97302 6339 2534 4896 3071 8684 17 31
Oil and gas extraction (except oil sands) 716 27401 368 2132 3765 275 11 0 23
Oil sands extractionb 35 64472 3503 159 1130 1424 4326 3 4
Coal mining 15 430 1 242 N/A 1372 1411 0.1 3.3
Metal ore mining 63 2470 2452 N/A N/A N/A 2660 14 0.3
Non-metallic mineral mining and quarrying 26 2529 15 N/A N/A N/A 276 0.2 0.1
22 - Utilities (total) 185 56993 30 57 23 711 28 114 486
Electric power generation 141 56130 30 1 0.3 15 6 39 0.01
Natural gas distribution 11 216 N/A 55 9 696 20 N/A N/A
Water, sewage and other systemsc 33 646 0.4 0.2 14 0 2 74 486
31-33 Manufacturing (total) 486 36508 27709 3041 970 174 425 255 128
Food, beverages, and tobacco products 100 2568 28 36 4 8 20 27 46
Wood products and paper 122 5779 44 0.01 2 1 146 226 43
Petroleum and coal products 22 6498 37 2689 476 102 7 N/A 33
Basic chemicals 50 7692 858 209 416 3 9 1 5
Pesticide, fertilizer, other agricultural chemicals 8 2767 1347 99 17 5 7 N/A 0.2
Cement and concrete products 13 3255 6424 N/A N/A 2 30 N/A N/A
Lime and gypsum products 9 319 38 N/A N/A N/A 4 N/A N/A
Iron and steel manufacturingd 28 3648 11782 N/A 1 51 101 0.1 0.02
Alumina and aluminium production and processing 17 906 6101 N/A N/A N/A 30 N/A N/A
Non-ferrous metal (except alum.) manufacturinge 18 1024 656 7 1.0 1 51 N/A N/A
Other manufacturingf 99 2052 395 0.1 53 0.2 21 N/A 0.3
Otherg (total of the following 4 rows) 307 12963 11 924 59 329 103 8807 1
Pipeline transportation of natural gas 19 9965 0.05 756 26 225 0.04 N/A N/A
Waste management and remediation services 151 235 N/A 151 8 99 63 8792 N/A
Educational services and health care 37 1208 1 N/A N/A N/A 2 N/A N/A
Miscellaneous 100 1554 10 17 25 4 38 14 1

Notes:
The above table excludes information that is treated as confidential pursuant to sections 51 to 53 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
N/A = not available
Totals may not sum to the expected value due to rounding.
a. Facilities required to report to the GHGRP provide a primary NAICS code that describes the main activities occurring at the facility.
b. Includes facilities engaged in oils sands mining, in-situ bitumen production and upgrading.
c. Includes sewage treatment facilities, heating and steam generation plants.
d. Not a NAICS sector but a grouping of various NAICS codes reported by facilities engaged in types of manufacturing such as iron and steel mills and ferro-alloy manufacturing, Steel product manufacturing from purchased steel (NAICS 3312), and ferrous metal foundries.
e. Not a NAICS sector but a grouping of various NAICS codes reported by facilities engaged in types of manufacturing such as non-ferrous metal (except aluminium) production and processing and non-ferrous metal foundries.
f. Not a NAICS sector but a grouping of various NAICS codes reported by facilities engaged in other types of manufacturing such as electrical equipment, transportation equipment, furniture manufacturing, and others.
g. Not a NAICS sector but a grouping of various NAICS codes reported by the following types of facilities: natural gas transportation pipelines, solid waste landfills, airports, universities, hospitals, and public administration buildings.

3. Trends in reported GHG emissions

The number of facilities reporting GHG emissions to ECCC can change from year to year. The lowering of the mandatory reporting threshold from 50 kt to 10 kt resulted in a significant increase in the number of facilities reporting. Changes in production levels, processes and technologies, the types of fuels used at a facility, new facility operations starting up, facility closures and unplanned events can all result in a change in the annual emissions reported. A facility may fall below or attain the reporting threshold from one year to the next or the number of voluntary reporters may also change, affecting the number of reporting facilities. Over the 2005–2023 period, the number of reporting facilities increased from 337 to 1862 (Table 4).

3.1 National-level trends

The overall total reported GHG emissions for all facilities were 291 Mt in 2023, remaining largely unchanged from 2022, with a minimal increase of 42 kt (0.01%) (Table 4)Footnote 13.

Over the 2005–2023 period, the number of reporting facilities increased from 337 to 1862, while overall emissions from facilities increased by 4% (12 Mt). The significant increase in the number of reporting facilities since 2005 is largely attributed to the lower thresholds introduced in 2009 (50 kt) and in 2017 (10 kt). Emission changes were also partly impacted by this since more emissions were progressively reported to the program over this period.

For facilities emitting 50 kt of CO2 eq. or more, total reported emissions were 266 Mt in 2023, compared to 265 Mt for 2022 (Table 4). Over the 2005–2023 period, the number of reporting facilities in this range increased from 323 to 602, largely due to the lower threshold introduced in 2009. However, despite the increase in the number of facilities reporting emissions over 50 kt of CO2 eq., the combined emissions from facilities in this range have decreased by 4% (12 Mt) since 2005 (Table 4).

For facilities emitting between 10 and 50 kt of CO2 eq., total reported emissions were 24 Mt in 2023. The combined emissions from these facilities have remained constant since 2017 (24 Mt) when the 10 kt reporting threshold was implemented.

Table 4: Facility-reported GHG emissions, selected years
  2005 2009a 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017a 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Total Facility Reported Emissions
 Number of Facilities 337 535 560 580 587 576 616 1709 1770 1789 1777 1782 1837 1862
 GHG Emissions (kt CO₂ eq.) 278,192 253,352 260,437 262,364 265,297 265,602 265,498 295,916 296,349 296,862 276,712 289,157 290,550 290,592
Facilities with emissions greater than 50 kt CO₂ eq.
 Number of Facilities 323 462 488 498 503 494 509 542 556 570 550 578 598 602
 GHG Emissions (kt CO₂ eq.) 277,959 252,393 259,224 260,491 263,431 263,821 263,512 272,072 271,940 272,502 252,201 265,278 265,710 266,058
 Annual Change N/A -4.1% 1.4% 0.5% 1.1% 0.1% -0.1% 3.2% 0.0% 0.2% -7.4% 5.2% 0.2% 0.1%
 Change since 2005 N/A -9.2% -6.7% -6.3% -5.2% -5.1% -5.2% -2.1% -2.2% -2.0% -9.3% -4.6% -4.4% -4.3%

Notes:
N/A = Not available
The complete data set (i.e. yearly data since 2004), is available on ECCC Website: Facility-reported greenhouse gas data.
a. The reporting threshold changed in 2009 from 100 kt to 50 kt and in 2017 from 50 kt to 10 kt.

In 2005, the Manufacturing sector had the most reporting facilities with 162 facilities (48%), followed by the Utilities sector with 75 facilities (22%), and the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector with 72 facilities (21%). However, with each threshold change, first in 2009 and then in 2017, the number of reporting facilities in the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector grew, and in 2017, this sector overtook Manufacturing to become the industry sector with the highest number of reporting facilities. For 2023, 856 facilities in the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector reported their emissions, which represents 46% of all reporting facilities (Figure 11). The large number of reporting facilities in the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector is a reflection of the nature of this industry, particularly the oil and gas extraction (except oil sands) subsector, which is made up of many small operations, such as natural gas processing plants, oil/gas battery operations, and compressor stations. Although the threshold change increased the coverage of emissions for smaller emitters in the oil and gas sector, it does not capture the full upstream oil and gas sector. Canada's Official GHG Inventory provides a complete accounting of emissions from the oil and gas sector.

Figure 11: Number of reporting facilities by sector in selected years between 2005 and 2023
Figure 11: Number of reporting facilities by sector in selected years between 2005 and 2023
Long description

Figure 11 is a column chart displaying the number of reporting facilities by industry sector for the following years: 2005, 2009, 2017, and 2023. The chart shows that with each threshold change, first in 2009 and then in 2017, the number of reporting facilities increased across all the main industry sectors. The Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector saw the largest increase in the number of reporting facilities between 2005 and 2023, and starting in 2017, this sector became the industry sector with the highest number of reporting facilities, followed by the Manufacturing sector. The “Other” category includes facilities that fall into industry sectors other than those already mentioned, such as natural gas transportation pipelines, solid waste landfills, universities, hospitals, and public administration buildings.

The following table displays the number of reporting facilities by industry sector for 2005, 2009, 2017, and 2023.

Number of Reporting Facilities By Sector in 2005, 2009, 2017, and 2023
Year Manufacturing Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction Utilities Other
2005 162 72 75 28
2009 211 145 120 59
2017 469 858 127 255
2023 511 856 186 309

Note:
* “Other” is not a NAICS sector but a grouping of various NAICS codes reported by the following types of facilities: natural gas transportation pipelines, solid waste landfills, airports, universities, hospitals, and public administration buildings.

3.2 Trends by industry sector and by province/territory

The summary of facility-reported emissions by NAICS industry sector provides a picture of the types of facilities that report to the GHGRP in response to the annual GHG reporting requirements (Figure 11 and Table 5). The provincial breakdown of each main industry sector highlights the regional presence of key industries accounting for the reported emissions (Table 6). All reported facilities were included in the analysis presented in this section, including those that emitted less than 10 kt CO2 eq. (168 facilities accounting for 0.2% of total emissions). Observed emission changes from 2005 through 2023 reflect the impact of changing the reporting threshold in 2009 and 2017 (notably in Mining, Quarrying, Oil and Gas Extraction).

Overall, GHG emissions reported by the Utilities sector have steadily decreased between 2005 and 2023. On the other hand, the Mining, Quarrying, Oil and Gas Extraction sector has experienced a sustained increase in emissions since 2005, surpassing those reported by the Utilities sector in 2015 (Figure 12). This can be attributed in part to new facilities with emissions in the 10 to 50 kt range reporting since 2017 in this sector. Trends observed from facility-reported sector emissions are similar to trends observed in the National GHG Inventory. Various factors have led to these trends and are further discussed in this section.

Figure 12: Long-term sectoral trends, 2005-2023
Figure 12: Long-term sectoral trends, 2005-2023
Long description

Figure 12 is a line chart grouping facilities into four main industrial sectors and shows the changes in the facility-reported GHG emissions for each of these sectors between 2005 and 2023. In 2005, the Utilities sector was the highest GHG-emitting sector, followed by the Manufacturing sector, and the Mining, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector. There is an overall increasing trend in emissions from the Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction sector while emissions from the Manufacturing sector and Utilities have generally levelled off or decreased since 2005. From 2015 onwards, the Mining, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector became the highest GHG-emitting sector, surpassing the combined emissions reported by facilities in the Manufacturing sector and the Utilities sector. The “Other” category includes facilities that fall into industry sectors other than those already mentioned, such as natural gas transportation pipelines, solid waste landfills, universities, hospitals, and public administration buildings.

The following table displays reported GHG emissions (in megatonnes CO2 equivalent) by industrial sector from 2005 to 2023.

Long-Term Sectoral Trends, 2005–2023
Year Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction (Mt CO2 eq.) Manufacturing (Mt CO2 eq.) Utilities (Mt CO2 eq.) Other (Mt CO2 eq.)
2005 48 91 123 16
2006 53 89 116 15
2007 55 87 122 14
2008 55 83 113 12
2009 63 73 103 14
2010 69 77 106 12
2011 72 78 94 13
2012 78 79 90 13
2013 83 76 89 15
2014 84 76 89 16
2015 88 76 86 16
2016 87 77 85 16
2017 110 84 81 20
2018 114 87 74 21
2019 117 87 71 21
2020 114 82 60 20
2021 118 87 61 22
2022 125 84 60 24
2023 123 85 59 23

Note: “Other” is not a NAICS sector but a grouping of various NAICS codes reported by the following types of facilities: natural gas transportation pipelines, solid waste landfills, airports, universities, hospitals and public administration buildings.

Table 5: Reported greenhouse gas emissions by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) industry sector, selected years
NAICSa
Industry Sector
(Units: Mt CO2 eq.)
2005 2009b 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017b 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Total 278 253 260 262 265 266 265 296 296 297 277 289 291 291
21 - Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction (total) 48 63 78 83 84 88 87 110 114 117 114 118 122 123
Oil and gas extraction (except oil sands) 14 15 14 15 16 15 15 31 31 32 31 32 34 34
Oil sands extractionc 28 42 55 59 61 65 64 69 73 74 72 76 77 78
Coal mining 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 4 3 3 3 3
Metal ore mining 3 3 4 4 3 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 6 5
Non-metallic mineral mining and quarrying 0.8 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3
22 - Utilities (total) 123 103 90 89 89 86 85 81 74 71 60 62 60 59
Electric power generation 122 101 88 86 86 84 83 79 72 69 58 60 58 57
Natural gas distribution 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Water, sewage and other systemsd 0.1 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 1.2 1.2
31-33 Manufacturing (total) 91 73 79 76 76 76 77 84 87 87 82 87 84 85
Food, beverages, and tobacco products 0.3 0.7 0.7 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Wood products and paper 5 4 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 7 6 8 7 6
Petroleum and coal products 20 19 17 17 17 17 17 18 17 18 17 18 18 18
Basic chemicals 13 11 11 11 11 11 11 12 13 13 13 13 12 12
Pesticide, fertilizer, other agricultural chemicals 6 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
Cement and concrete products 13 9 11 10 10 11 10 11 11 11 11 11 10 11
Lime and gypsum products 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Iron and steel manufacturinge 17 11 15 13 14 13 14 14 16 16 14 15 15 16
Alumina and aluminium production and processing 9 8 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6 7 7 7 7
Non-ferrous metal (except alum.) manufacturingf 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Other manufacturingg 0.7 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Otherh (total) 16 14 13 15 16 16 16 21 21 22 21 22 24 23
Pipeline transportation of natural gas 12 7 7 8 9 9 9 9 10 10 9 10 12 11
Waste management and remediation services 3 6 6 6 6 7 7 9 8 9 9 9 9 9
Educational services and health care N/A 0.4 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Miscellaneous N/A 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2

Notes:
N/A = not available
Totals may not sum to the expected value due to rounding.
a. Facilities required to report to the GHGRP provide a primary NAICS code that describes the main activities occurring at the facility.
b. The reporting threshold changed in 2009 from 100 kt to 50 kt and in 2017 from 50 kt to 10 kt.
c. Includes facilities engaged in oils sands mining, in-situ bitumen production and upgrading.
d. Includes sewage treatment facilities, heating and steam generation plants.
e. Not a NAICS sector but a grouping of various NAICS codes reported by facilities engaged in types of manufacturing such as iron and steel mills and ferro-alloy manufacturing, steel product manufacturing from purchased steel (NAICS 3312), and ferrous metal foundries.
f. Not a NAICS sector but a grouping of various NAICS codes reported by facilities engaged in types of manufacturing such as non-ferrous metal (except aluminium) production and processing and non-ferrous metal foundries.
g. Not a NAICS sector but a grouping of various NAICS codes reported by facilities engaged in other types of manufacturing such as electrical equipment, transportation equipment, furniture manufacturing, and others.
h. Not a NAICS sector but a grouping of various NAICS codes reported by the following types of facilities: natural gas transportation pipelines, solid waste landfills, airports, universities, hospitals and public administration buildings.

3.2.1 Short-term changes

Short-term changes highlight shifts focus on changes in reported emissions from facilities across major industry sectors within the last 10 years. After the operational disruptions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 saw a substantial increase in overall emissions driven by increased production in the oil sands extraction and manufacturing sectors amid ongoing economic recovery. In 2022, emissions continued trending upwards toward pre-pandemic levels, and 2023 data suggest that this upward trend has stabilized as industrial activity returned to typical patterns.

Since 2017, total reported emissions have decreased by 1.7% (5 Mt). This can largely be attributed to the steady decreases in reported emissions from facilities in the Utilities sector, where overall emissions declined by 27% (22 Mt) between 2017 and 2023 (Figure 13). The decrease of emissions within the Utilities sector is counterbalanced by the increase in emissions from the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction Sector (13 Mt or 12%).

Table 6: Reported greenhouse gas emissions by industry sector and by province/ territory, selected years
Industry sector
province / territory
(Units: Mt CO2 eq.)
2005 2009a 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017a 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Total 278 253 260 262 265 266 265 296 296 297 277 289 291 291
21 - Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction (total) 48 63 78 83 84 88 87 110 114 117 114 118 122 123
Alberta 35 50 62 65 67 71 71 86 91 93 91 95 97 98
British Columbia 5 5 7 7 7 6 6 8 8 8 8 8 9 9
Manitoba N/A 0.06 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2
New Brunswick N/A N/A 0.06 0.02 N/A 0.06 N/A 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.004 0.007 N/A N/A
Newfoundland and Labrador 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2
Northwest Territories 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6
Nova Scotia N/A 0.3 0.2 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.3
Nunavut N/A N/A 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6
Ontario 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Quebec 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Saskatchewan 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 8 8 8 8 8 9 9
Yukon N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.02 0.02 0.004 0.01 0.01 0.12 N/A
22 - Utilities (total) 123 103 90 89 89 86 85 81 74 71 60 62 60 59
Alberta 50 48 44 44 49 47 47 46 38 36 30 28 27 25
British Columbia 2 2 0.9 1 1 0.9 0.9 0.8 1.0 1 0.9 1 1 1
Manitoba 0.6 0.2 0.07 0.09 0.07 0.1 N/A 0.06 0.03 0.06 0.05 0.06 0.06 0.09
New Brunswick 9 6 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 3 2 3 3 3
Newfoundland and Labrador 1 0.8 0.7 0.8 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.8 0.6 0.7 0.6
Northwest Territories N/A 0.06 N/A N/A N/A 0.06 N/A 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.09
Nova Scotia 11 9 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6 6 5
Nunavut N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.06 0.06 0.05 0.2 0.1 0.1
Ontario 36 20 18 15 10 10 9 6 6 6 6 7 8 10
Prince Edward Island N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 0.01 0.003 0.002 0.003 0.003 0.003
Quebec 0.5 1 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.4
Saskatchewan 15 16 16 15 15 16 15 16 16 16 13 15 14 14
Yukon N/A 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.03 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.03 0.03
31-33 Manufacturing (total) 91 73 79 76 76 76 77 84 87 87 82 87 84 85
Alberta 18 17 18 19 18 19 19 20 22 22 22 22 22 22
British Columbia 6 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 5 5
Manitoba 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
New Brunswick 4 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 4 4
Newfoundland and Labrador 1 1 1 0.9 1 1 1 1 1 2 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.1
Nova Scotia 1 1 1 0.9 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3
Ontario 38 25 29 27 28 27 28 30 33 32 29 32 31 31
Prince Edward Island 0.1 0.07 0.05 0.06 0.06 0.05 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.08 0.08 0.09 0.05 0.05
Quebec 20 17 17 16 17 17 16 18 18 18 18 19 18 18
Saskatchewan 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Otherb (total) 16 14 13 15 16 16 16 21 21 22 21 22 24 23
Alberta 4 3 4 5 4 5 5 6 7 7 6 7 8 8
British Columbia 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 3
Manitoba 1 0.8 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.0 0.9 1.0 1.1 0.9
New Brunswick N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.01 0.03 0.04 0.2 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
Newfoundland and Labrador N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.06 0.07 0.06 0.05 0.07 0.06 0.09
Northwest Territories N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.01 N/A
Nova Scotia N/A 0.07 N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.006 0.08 0.09 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3
Ontario 5 5 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 7 6 7 7 7
Prince Edward Island N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Quebec 0.4 0.9 1 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Saskatchewan 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2

Notes:
For the complete data set (i.e. yearly data since 2004), visit the ECCC Website: Facility-reported greenhouse gas data.
N/A = not available
Totals may not sum to the expected value due to rounding.
a. The reporting threshold changed in 2009 from 100 kt to 50 kt and in 2017 from 50 kt to 10 kt.
b. Not a NAICS sector but a grouping of various NAICS codes reported by the following types of facilities: natural gas transportation pipelines, solid waste landfills, airports, universities, hospitals and public administration buildings.

Figure 13: Changes in reported emissions by sector (2017–2023)
Figure 13: Changes in reported emissions by sector (2017–2023)
Long description

Figure 13 is a bar chart displaying the total change, and changes by industrial sector in reported GHG emissions from 2017 to 2023. These industry sectors are: the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector, the Utilities sector, and the Manufacturing sector. The “Other” category includes facilities that fall into industry sectors other than those already mentioned, such as natural gas transportation pipelines, solid waste landfills, universities, hospitals, and public administration buildings. The chart shows a decrease of the overall GHG total and the reported emissions for the Utilities sector between 2017 and 2023, whereas the Manufacturing and Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sectors saw a small increase in reported emissions during the same period.

The following table displays the changes in reported GHG emissions from 2017 to 2023.

Changes in reported emissions by sector (2017–2023)
Industry sector Net change in Emissions (2017 to 2023) (Mt CO2 eq.)
Total Change -5
Utilities -22
Manufacturing 0.8
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction 13
Other 3

Note:
a. “Other” is not a NAICS sector but a grouping of various NAICS codes reported by the following types of facilities: natural gas transportation pipelines, solid waste landfills, airports, universities, hospitals, and public administration buildings.

The observed decrease in the Utilities sector is due to emissions reductions in the electric power generation subsector (22 Mt since 2017; Table 5). The majority (21 Mt) of the decrease in the Utilities sector occurred in Alberta, 2 Mt occurred in Saskatchewan, and 2 Mt occurred in Nova Scotia. Meanwhile, Ontario had a 4 Mt increase in the Utilities sector between 2017 and 2023. Overall, the observed emission reductions in the Utilities sector since 2017 are the result of reduced fossil fuel usage (notably coalFootnote 14) for electricity generation and increased reliance on renewable electricity sources in AlbertaFootnote 15.

Over this same period (2017-2023), overall emissions from Manufacturing did not change significantly, but exhibited varying interannual fluctuations. In 2018, 2019, and 2021, Manufacturing emissions were 3 Mt higher than in 2017. In 2020, they were 2 Mt lower than in 2017 (due, in part, to reduced production at one facility in Ontario as a result of a rehabilitation project, as well as temporary facility shutdowns in Quebec as a result of the COVID-19 pandemicFootnote 16). Between 2021 and 2022, emissions decreased by 3 Mt, returning to the level observed in 2017. Between 2022 and 2023, emissions increased slightly by 1 Mt, reaching 85 Mt in total. This minor increase reflects small changes across multiple provinces, with no significant shifts in emissions from individual provinces due to rounding. The overall levelling-out of emissions since 2017 has been influenced by fluctuations in key manufacturing subsectors, including decreases in emissions from British Columbia's alumina and aluminium production and processing, as well as non-ferrous metal manufacturing. Wood product emissions also saw a decline, primarily due to production slowdowns. Additionally, the cement and concrete manufacturing subsector experienced decreased emissions over recent years, attributed to reduced production at facilities in Ontario and Quebec.

Reported emissions from the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector increased by 11% (13 Mt) between 2017 and 2023. Oil sands extraction contributed the most to this increase, with reported emissions from this subsector increasing by 9 Mt between 2017 and 2023, especially in Alberta, consistent with observed increases in synthetic crude oil production (+15%) and in crude bitumen production (+24%) during this periodFootnote 17. In 2023, reported emissions from oil sands extraction reached 78 Mt, surpassing their pre-pandemic levels (74 Mt in 2019; Table 5).

Outside of the three above NAICS industry sectors, subsectors grouped under the ‘Other' category experienced a 13% (3 Mt) increase in emissions between 2017 and 2023. This is mainly caused by increases in the pipeline transportation of natural gas subsector. Emissions from the waste management and remediation services subsector have been generally consistent since 2017.

3.2.2 Long-term trends

The major long-term emission patterns (2005-2023) illustrate two large offsetting trends: a 75 Mt increase in emissions in the Mining, Quarrying and Oil and Gas Extraction sector balanced by 65 Mt and 6 Mt decreases in the Utilities and Manufacturing sectors, respectively (Table 5). Long-term trends were impacted to a certain extent by the addition of newly reporting facilities in 2017, particularly in the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector. For example, between 2012 and 2017, total emission changes ranged from -0.04% to 1.3%. Between 2016 and 2017, total emissions increased by 11.4%. By contrast, for facilities emitting 50 kt or more (i.e., larger GHG-emitting facilities annually reporting prior to the threshold change in 2017), there has been a small reduction in emissions (4.3%) since 2005.

Up to and including the year 2014, the Utilities sector consistently accounted for the largest portion of reported emissions (Figure 12), with electric power generation being the main contributor. However, emissions from fossil-fuel electric power generation experienced a significant decline of 65 Mt from 2005 to 2023 (Table 5), largely attributed to the discontinuation of coal-fired electricity production in Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and, more recently, Alberta (Table 7). Over the same period, the number of large-emitting facilities (1 Mt or above) in the fossil-fuel electric power generation subsector declined from 24 in 2005 to 15 in 2023. Other contributors to the decrease in utility emissions include fuel switching (e.g., from coal to natural gas or other lower-carbon fuels) and increased reliance on hydro, nuclear and renewable sources of electricity generationFootnote 18Footnote 19.

In 2023, overall emissions from the Manufacturing sector remain below their 2005 levels (6 Mt or -7%; Figure 12), with Ontario and Quebec facilities in specific industry subsectors contributing the most to this decrease. Ontario facilities saw a net decrease of 6 Mt (Table 6) compared to 2005, largely observed in iron and steel manufacturing, cement, primary magnesium production, and chemical manufacturing (e.g., halted adipic acid production in 2009; Table 5). Quebec facilities had a 2 Mt decrease in emissions from 2005 to 2023 (Table 6), with aluminium production and petroleum refining facilities contributing the most to this change (Table 5). Emission decreases resulted from technological changes in aluminium productionFootnote 20Footnote 21Footnote 22, and the closure of a magnesium production facility and aluminium smelters in Quebec.

In contrast, Alberta facilities in the Manufacturing sector saw a 30% increase (5 Mt) in reported emissions since 2009, with 44% (2.2 Mt) of the observed increase occurring in the basic chemicals subsector, and 16% (1.0 Mt) in the petroleum and coal products subsector, driven by the opening of a new refinery in Alberta in 2017. Between 2005 and 2023, overall emissions from the petroleum and coal products subsector have decreased by 14% (3 Mt), primarily due to refinery closures and repurposing. Three refineries in Ontario (2005), Quebec (2010), and Nova Scotia (2013) were either closed or converted to terminal facilities, while a facility in Newfoundland and Labrador was converted to a renewable diesel refinery in 2020.

The Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas extraction sector has shown an increasing trend over the last decade (Figure 12). Most of the increase (between 2005 and 2023) was driven by oil sands extraction facilities in Alberta (50 Mt growth since 2005) as existing facilities expanded operations and new facilities came online, and by thermal oil extraction in Saskatchewan, reflecting this sector's steady growth trend. In more recent years, the increase in reported emissions from the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas extraction sector is partly due to the increased number of facilities reporting their emissions to the program, mostly in the oil and gas extraction (except oil sands) subsector, as a result of the lowering of the reporting threshold.

4. Facility-reported emissions and the National GHG Inventory

The total facility-reported GHG emissions for 2023 collected under the GHGRP represent 42% of Canada's total GHG emissions in 2023 (694 Mt) and 63% of Canada's industrial GHG emissionsFootnote 23. The GHGRP applies to large GHG-emitting facilities (mostly industrial) and does not cover diffuse sources of GHG emissions such as road transportation, residential housing (e.g. home heating) and agricultural sources, whereas the National GHG Inventory is a complete accounting of all GHG sources and sinks in Canada.

When comparing the provincial and territorial breakdown of the facility-reported emissions to the corresponding information in the National GHG Inventory, the distribution of emissions by province shows a similar pattern (Figure 14). Alberta has the highest emissions, followed by Ontario. Saskatchewan accounted for the third largest portion of total reported emissions in the GHGRP, while Quebec is the third major contributor to the total emissions of the National GHG Inventory. This pattern of industrial emissions captured by the GHGRP reflects the regional concentration of large industrial facilities and trends in the use of fossil fuels for energy production.

Figure 14: Provincial/territorial contribution to 2023 facility-reported Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program total and the National Inventory total
Figure 14: Provincial/territorial contribution to 2023 facility-reported Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program total and the National Inventory total
Long description

Figure 14 is a column chart comparing the provincial/territorial distribution of the GHG emissions reported by facilities to the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program and the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory. The two distributions follow a similar pattern, with Alberta contributing the largest quantity of emissions by province, followed by Ontario. The following table displays 2023 GHG emissions by province/territory for both the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program and the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory.

Provincial/Territorial Contribution to 2023 Facility-Reported Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program Total and the National Inventory Total
Province/Territory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (kt CO2 eq.) National Inventory Report (kt CO2 eq.)
NL 3 189 7 922
PE 53 1 592
NS 5 831 13 539
NB 6 727 11 466
QC 22 885 78 931
ON 49 568 158 728
MB 2 435 21 279
SK 28 417 73 913
AB 152 898 263 376
BC 17 247 60 418
YT, NT, and NU 1 343 2 748

Although the facility-reported emissions capture 63% of industrial GHG emissions nationally, the degree of coverage at the provincial and territorial level varies from region to region (Figure 15) due to the size and number of industrial facilities in each province and territory that have emissions above the 10 kt CO2 eq. reporting threshold. The degree of coverage is fairly high for some provinces and territories. For example, the GHGRP reported emissions in 2023 captured approximately 86% of industrial emissions in New Brunswick, and 76% of total industrial emissions in Nova Scotia.

Figure 15: 2023 Facility-reported emissions as a percentage of national and provincial/territorial industriala greenhouse gas emissions from the National Inventory
Figure 15: 2023 Facility-reported emissions as a percentage of national and provincial/territorial industriala greenhouse gas emissions from the National Inventory
Long description

Figure 15 is a column-stacked chart showing the percentages of industrial GHG emissions from the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, accounted for by the facility-reported data from the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. In this overview report, Canada’s industrial greenhouse gas emissions include the following categories from the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report: Stationary Combustion Sources (except Residential), Other Transportation, Fugitive Sources, Industrial Processes and Product Use, and Waste. The following table displays the degree of coverage by the facility reporting program of 2023 GHG emissions by province/territory.

2023 Facility-Reported Emissions as a Percentage of National and Provincial/Territorial Industrial GHG Emissions from the National Inventory
Province/Territory % of Industrial GHG Emissions from the National Inventory
NL 69%
PE 11%
NS 76%
NB 86%
QC 57%
ON 57%
MB 27%
SK 53%
AB 70%
BC 51%
YT 10%
NT 86%
NU 94%
National 63%

Note:
a. In this overview report, Canada's industrial GHG emissions include the following GHG categories from the National Inventory Report 1990–2023: Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks in Canada: Stationary Combustion Sources (except Residential), Other Transportation, Fugitive Sources, Industrial Processes and Product Use, and Waste.

Where appropriate, the facility-reported emissions data are used by Environment and Climate Change Canada in the national GHG inventory, which is developed largely from national and provincial statistics based on internationally-recognised emission estimation methodologies. The extent to which the facility-reported GHG emissions data could be fully integrated into the national inventory is dependent on the level of detail and type of data available. This integration of the facility-reported data is a key objective of the recent expansion of the GHGRP. More information on the specific uses of facility-reported data collected through the GHGRP in the National GHG Inventory is provided in Chapter 1 of the latest National Inventory ReportFootnote 24.

5. Additional information about the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program

5.1 Data quality

Facilities that meet the GHG reporting requirements under the GHGRP must ensure that the reported data are reliable. Facilities are required by law to submit information that is true, accurate, and complete to the best of their knowledge. CEPA sets out penalties for companies that fail to report or that knowingly submit false or misleading information. Reporters have a legal obligation to keep copies of the information submitted, along with any calculations, measurements, and other data on which the information is based. All information must be kept for a period of three years from the date on which it was required to be reported to Environment and Climate Change Canada.

The data provided in this report are for information purposes only. Environment and Climate Change Canada conducted a number of data quality checks of the submitted data for compliance purposes and for completeness, and will continue to analyze the data, which may result in periodic updates.

The data received from facilities are subject to various levels of review as part of the quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) process set out under the GHGRP to resolve data gaps or inconsistencies and potential reporting errors. ExamplesFootnote 25 of the types of checks completed are:

5.2 Public access

The GHGRP provides public access to information from all facilities that reported GHG emissions to the program through an annual online publication. In addition to this summary report, the facility-level data are presented in the form of tables, a searchable database, and a downloadable format. Users can search by emissions of a specific gas or emissions of all gases, by facility name or GHGRP identification number, by National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) identification number, by reporting company, by province/territory or city, or by industry sector, using the NAICSFootnote 26 code. Users can also access a web-based mapping tool on the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators website, which shows where reporting facilities are located in Canada.

To access the data or obtain further information on the GHGRP or the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory program, consult the following websites:

5.3 Links to other federal facility reporting and provincial reporting

Facilities that report their emissions to the GHGRP may also report their pollutant releases to the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI). The GHGRP is similar to, yet distinct from, the NPRI. Although both programs are delivered by ECCC under the authority of section 46 of CEPA, the NPRI collects data from facilities on pollutant releases (to air, water, and land), disposals, and transfers for recycling, whereas the GHGRP collects data directly from facilities on GHG emissions. Facilities reporting to the GHGRP are asked to report their NPRI identification number to facilitate searching and comparison of emissions from facilities that report to both programs.

A number of facilities that report to the GHGRP also submit annual reports to the federal Output Based Pricing System (OBPS). These facilities report similar emissions information to both programs; therefore, significant efforts have been undertaken to harmonize reporting requirements between the two programs wherever possible.

A number of provincial jurisdictions also require facilities to report GHG emission information annually under specific provincial regulations. Efforts have been undertaken to streamline the reporting process between the national and various provincial jurisdictions, resulting in the launch and ongoing updating of ECCC's Single Window reporting system to help reduce the reporting burden on industry and the overall cost to government. This Single Window system allows one-time entry of information commonly required at both levels, while accommodating requirements that are jurisdiction-specific. Provinces currently using this reporting system include Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and New Brunswick. Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan previously used this system to collect data together with ECCC's GHGRP but will discontinue collecting data through this system starting with 2023 data collection.

As of the 2022 reporting year, the GHGRP no longer accepts or processes provincial GHG reports. The GHGRP also connects with the federal OBPS program and provincial partners to compare reported data and assess discrepancies, where appropriate.

6. Contact us

If you have questions about this report or for more information about its content, please contact the GHGRP:

Environment and Climate Change Canada
Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program
Place Vincent Massey Building
351 Saint-Joseph Boulevard
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0H3
E-mail: GES-GHG@ec.gc.ca
Telephone: 1-877-877-8375
Website

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2025-06-13