WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and Growth Energy submitted comments this week in support of Ontario, Canada’s plan to implement 15% renewable content in gasoline by 2025.

The expansion of biofuels blending is part of the Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan.

“For decades now, North American farmers and ethanol producers have continued to benefit from tariff-free borders,” the groups said. “With an existing North American supply chain, Ontario can rest assured that the increase in demand from a move to 15% ethanol will be met by this vibrant marketplace. Collectively, the North American industry is poised to assist Ontario attain its ambitious climate goals and to support this ambitious provincial move.”

 The groups also thanked Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment for taking into consideration previously submitted comments, from 2017 and 2018, on the environmental benefits of higher-level ethanol blends, such as E15, in their plan. Doing so offers environmental and economic benefits to the people of Ontario and will help to achieve Canada’s long-term climate goals, the groups said.

  “We appreciate the ministry taking our previous comments of March 2017 and January 2018 into account and strongly support the proposal to increase the ethanol content of gasoline to 15% by 2025,” the groups said. “As we noted in our earlier comments, increasing ethanol concentrations in fuel presents tremendous benefits to the public in the form of lower GHG emissions, lower levels of other pollutants, improved fuel properties (cleaner and cooler burning), and economic benefits to Canada’s critical agricultural economy.”

Growth Energy is a trade association working to advance pro-biofuel policies and expand consumer access to higher blends of ethanol.

Full comments can be found here. The full Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan can be found here.