British Columbia’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (BC-LCFS) program was developed concurrently with California’s LCFS program in the 2008-2010 timeframe. In 2008, British Columbia (BC) implemented the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act, which established requirements for renewable content and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity reductions. The program was implemented in 2010 and included mandates for a minimum 5% renewable content in gasoline and a minimum 3% renewable content in diesel (increased to a 4% minimum starting in 2011). These volume percent minima remain in place, but the blending levels are much higher today due to the need for credits in the BC-LCFS program. The BC-LCFS establishes a schedule of reductions that will reduce the CI of the transport fuel mix in BC by 20% relative to a 2010 baseline by 2030. Like California’s program, the BC-LCFS targeted a 10% reduction of carbon intensity (CI) by 2020. Due to changes required to the structure of the province’s program, however, required CI reductions in BC did not begin until 2013.
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