Ethanol consumption and production in Canada 2008-2023

The volume of ethanol consumed in Canada generally exceeds the volume that is produced, making Canada a net importer. In 2022, the estimated ethanol consumption stood at 4.1 billion liters in comparison to two billion liters in production.

What is ethanol?

Ethanol is a liquid alcohol that is formed from the fermentation of sugar or converted starches from grains or agricultural feedstocks. Ethanol is produced for a range of different applications, like fuel ethanol. Ethanol can be blended with gasoline to be used as a more environmentally-friendly fuel in modern gasoline-powered vehicles. Ethanol is considered renewable as it is produced from biomass and produces less emissions than gasoline or diesel.

Ethanol in Canada

Most ethanol in Canada is produced from corn and wheat. In terms of blending, ethanol is usually blended at 10 percent where blending facilities exist, but otherwise ethanol is blended at 0 percent. Mandates for ethanol blends vary across provinces. In Ontario, the ethanol in gasoline regulation requires a minimum of 5 percent renewable content in gasoline.