The Province and Chevron Canada Limited have announced joint plans "to increase the amount of ethanol blended gasoline supplied to Vancouver Island," detailed in the following press release, issued monday:

This development is in alignment with the BC Government's commitment to reducing the environmental impact of transportation fuels in the province, and contribute to a new low carbon economy through the implementation of the Renewable and Low Carbon Fuels Requirements Regulation (the Regulation).

Chevron is retrofitting its existing facility at Cobble Hill, Cowichan Valley to enable the supply of ethanol-blended regular unleaded fuel to Vancouver Island as part of its efforts to achieve a 10 per cent reduction in the carbon intensity of its fuels in the province by 2020 as required by the Regulation.

Chevron currently supplies approximately 65 per cent of Vancouver Island's transportation fuel needs.

The introduction of ethanol blending at Chevron's facility will result in the provision of a reliable supply of ethanol blended fuel to Vancouver Island residents, and is anticipated to be available towards the end of 2015. The company is also constructing a Vapour Recovery Unit to recover operating emissions from the facility itself.

"Congratulations to Chevron for investing in upgrades to its terminal at Cobble Hill that will enable it to provide cleaner-burning, ethanol-blended fuel on Vancouver Island," said Minister of Energy and Mines Bill Bennett. "We're working with fuel suppliers and the biofuels sector to meet British Columbia's legislated renewable and low-carbon fuel requirements, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and diversifying our transportation fuel supply."

"Cowichan Valley is an important market in which Chevron operates and supplies the bulk of Vancouver Island's fuel requirements," said Chevron Spokesperson Adrien Byrne. "We are pleased to collaborate with the BC Government and Cowichan Valley Regional District on a project that aligns with the environmental goals of both the local and broader provincial communities. Through this project, Chevron will continue to provide the people of Vancouver Island with a reliable source of fuel to meet their daily transportation needs."