The Metro Vancouver city of Pitt Meadows has sent a letter to the federal government requesting more transparency on the issue of lead in aviation gasoline (100LL avgas) and what its plan is on phasing it out. The August 5 letter from Mayor Nicole MacDonald to both Ministers Julie Dabrusin of Environment and Steven MacKinnon of Transport cites the use of 100LL at the Pitt Meadows Regional Airport (CYPK), and concerns raised by residents.
“These concerns are being raised locally with the city, the airport, elected officials and public health partners,” the mayor wrote. “We also recognize that any transition away from leaded aviation gasoline must be undertaken in a manner that protects public health.”
The letter was apparently spawned by an op-ed, written by local resident Paul Kershaw, that appeared in the Vancouver Sun newspaper, warning of increasing risk of lead exposure made worse by increasing flight school activity, which uses piston-powered aircraft. Statistics Canada reported that CYPK recorded 208,551 aircraft movements in 2025, which is roughly double of what was recorded in 2015.
Pitt Meadows city council is on record as saying they are aware of efforts made in the U.S., with aviation regulator FAA keeping pressure on the petroleum industry to produce a viable unleaded alternative. A few U.S. companies have developed unleaded alternatives which have been subject to trial runs, but as of yet no product has been deemed safe and reliable enough for use in all aircraft that use it.
South of the border, the FAA has set a target date of the end of 2030 to transition the avgas fleet to an unleaded version of the fuel. The mayor is asking Transport Canada to keep the public informed of its plans for transitioning to unleaded avgas.
There is only one producer of avgas in Canada; Imperial Oil at its Strathcona Oil Refinery near Edmonton. When the refinery is unable to keep up to demand, or when their refining capability is reduced due to equipment maintenance, distributors import avgas, mainly from the U.S. This is especially so in eastern Canada, where transportation logistics may make direct importation from the U.S. a more viable solution.
Be the first to comment