List of Recognized Offset Programs and Protocols for the Federal OBPS

Important notice

Effective February 14, 2025, Environment and Climate Change Canada has updated the List of Recognized Offset Programs and Protocols for the federal OBPS to recognize the B.C. Forest Carbon Offset Protocol Version 2.0. Further information is available below on this page.

Those intending to remit Alberta emission offset credits as recognized units for compensation under the federal OBPS must request to change the status of emission offset credits held in their Alberta Emission Offset Registry (AEOR) account from Active to Pending Retire-Federal OBPS by June 30, 2025. This will allow sufficient time for Alberta’s review and retirement process in advance of the December 15, 2025 regular-rate compensation deadline for the federal OBPS.

Requests made after this date may not be processed in time for use of the credits by the regular-rate compensation deadline of December 15, 2025.

The Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act permits a unit or credit recognized under the federal Output-Based Pricing System Regulations (OBPS Regulations) as a compliance unit to be remitted by persons responsible for covered facilities as compensation for excess emissions.

A recognized unit is a credit or unit recognized as a compliance unit under the OBPS Regulations. The unit or credit is recognized as a compliance unit if it is issued by a province or territory under an offset protocol and offset program that is specified on Environment and Climate Change Canada’s List of Recognized Offset Programs and Protocols for the federal OBPS (see below). In addition, at the time of remittance, all recognized units must be valid, have been generated from a project located in Canada with a project start date of January 1, 2017 or later, and have been verified by an accredited verification body in good standing, in accordance with the OBPS Regulations.

Only provincial or territorial offset programs and offset protocols that meet the specific eligibility criteria outlined in the OBPS Regulations will be placed on the List of Recognized Offset Programs and Protocols for the federal OBPS below. This placement will occur, once arrangements are in place with the respective province or territory for tracking and use of eligible offset credits as recognized units for compensation under the federal OBPS.

Environment and Climate Change Canada will update the List of Recognized Offset Programs and Protocols for the federal OBPS on this page below from time to time, to add or remove protocols, as provinces and territories put in place new eligible protocols, including updates to existing ones, or as new offset programs are established.