November 18, 2015

Co-op is working with customers in Saskatchewan and Manitoba to eliminate safety concerns about unscented propane.

Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) has determined that 124 Co-op cylinder filling locations in these provinces may have distributed propane from one of its suppliers, Crescent Point Energy, that didn’t contain the mandatory amount of safety odour.

This list details all of the potentially affected locations that may have received unscented propane, as well as the time frames in which they may have been affected.

• LIST: 124 affected Co-op sites

Testing or refilling propane cylinders

Customers who last filled their cylinders at one of the locations in the list above during the time frames identified for 2014-15 can bring their cylinders to the nearest Co-op filling station to be tested and/or refilled. The deadline to bring in cylinders is Dec. 31, 2015.

If a customer last filled their cylinder outside of the time frames or locations detailed in the list, the propane supplied should be properly odourized and no action should be needed.

Most Co-op supplied cylinder filling locations have odourized propane

FCL has been investigating this matter since it — along with other propane retailers in Western Canada and the United States — received notice last month that Crescent Point Energy may not have added the safety odour that alerts people to a potential leak.

Co-op is testing tanks at affected sites and increasing the safety odour levels where necessary.

November 6, 2015

Federated Co-operatives Limited has been working with its supplier, Crescent Point Energy, to narrow down the Co-op locations that may have been affected by propane without the safety odour additive. Affected communities may include (which may be narrowed down further):

More specific details on what to do with unscented propane will be provided soon. Customers who are concerned about the status of their propane can speak to their local co-op or visit the Safety Procedures section below, which shares more information on safe propane handling.

November 5, 2015

Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) has greatly narrowed down the number of Co-op locations that may have received propane from a supplier that did not contain the property safety odour additive.

FCL has been investigating the matter since it, along with other propane retailers in Western Canada and the United States, received notice last week that propane supplier Crescent Point Energy may not have added the safety odour that alerts people to a potential leak. The potential issue is described in this Health Canada alert.

Next steps

Another update will be provided soon on how Co-op will address the potential propane safety odour issue at select locations.

Customers who are concerned about the status of their propane can visit the Safety Procedures section below, which shares more information on safe propane handling.

October 30, 2015

Federated Co-operatives Limited continues to investigate the distribution of unscented propane from Co-op sites in Saskatchewan and Manitoba after receiving notification from one of its propane suppliers. Odorant is important as a safety precaution, but does not impact the function of propane appliances. More information will be provided here as it becomes available to Co-op and other affected propane retailers. More details are available in this Health Canada alert.

Safety Procedures

For more details on safe handling, please visit the Canadian Propane Association and see its Propane Safety for Consumers brochure.

October 29, 2015

Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) has been notified that one of its propane suppliers may not have added the mandatory safety odour to propane that was distributed through Co-op sites.

Propane without the odour additive still fuels vehicles and powers appliances, but it does not have the important safety feature that alerts people to a potential leak.

“Customers’ safety is absolutely our priority in this situation,” said Cal Fichter, Vice-President Energy, FCL. “Now that we’re aware of this situation, we’re working with our supplier, safety regulators and local Co-ops across Western Canada to ensure that we take the right steps to keep our customers safe.”

FCL’s first step is to determine the scope of how much non-odourized propane was distributed and where it was delivered. Once this scope is determined, FCL will provide an update for Co-op customers on the next steps that will be taken.

Co-op customers can also find updates on this situation and Co-op’s response on www.coopconnection.ca.