A bold climate move is unfolding: Ottawa is poised to slash methane pollution from fossil fuel production and landfills, signaling a tangible step forward in Canada’s climate efforts. This plan introduces tighter rules for oil and gas sites while also addressing waste dumps, with added flexibility designed to ease compliance for industry players.
Here’s what you need to know. Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin is expected to unveil the measures in Metro Vancouver, following an advance copy obtained by CBC News. The package promises meaningful cuts in methane, the potent greenhouse gas that travels from extraction to processing and, at times, is vented or burned off rather than captured. It also adds a new layer of oversight for landfills, which contribute a smaller share of emissions but are still part of the picture.
From a policy perspective, the plan marks the new government’s first explicit climate action initiative after taking office, contrasting with prior moves that many environmentalists viewed as rollbacks. It builds on earlier draft regulations from the Liberal era that aimed to curb methane from fossil fuel sites and waste facilities, but those rules had not yet taken effect.
Methane’s climate impact is unusually severe—its warming potential is more than 80 times that of carbon dioxide over a given timescale. The plan prohibits venting, or releasing methane directly into the atmosphere, and introduces an inspection schedule to locate and repair leaks. An additional option lets operators tailor their approaches, provided they meet methane-intensity thresholds that align with standards from recognized international voluntary programs. The exact standards referenced remain unspecified in the materials reviewed by CBC News.
Industry responses have varied. Some fossil fuel companies, such as MEG Energy, described the proposed rules as overly prescriptive and pressed for greater flexibility. The government’s own analysis projects only a minor effect on oil and gas production growth from 2025 to 2035 (about 0.2%), yet it anticipates substantial emissions reductions—on the order of 304 million tonnes—over the same period. Beyond the environmental benefits, the regulations aim to protect public health in communities near facilities by reducing air pollutants and ozone-related damage, while also conserving natural gas that would otherwise be wasted. The government estimates that capturing and preserving this gas could heat more than 11 million Canadian homes for a year.
In parallel with the methane rules for the oil and gas sector, the federal government is unveiling new landfill measures. Under the updated rules, methane from organic waste in landfills—think food scraps, paper, and other biodegradable materials—will, in some cases, be monitored and captured rather than released. The landfill provisions are projected to achieve about 100 million tonnes in emissions reductions between 2026 and 2040.
Overall, the package represents a significant policy push to curb methane, targeting both energy production and waste management. It also reflects a broader debate about how strictly to regulate industry while preserving economic flexibility. The government frames the standards as compatible with international benchmarks, but questions remain about the practical details and the level of industry latitude that will be allowed.
About the author: David Thurton is CBC News’ senior parliamentary reporter focusing on environment and energy policy. He has covered Canadian politics from multiple provinces and territories and maintains a particular interest in how climate action intersects with economic realities.
