Alberta Canola Launches Campaign to Grow Domestic Biofuel Demand and Expand Markets for Canola

EDMONTON, AB. – August 20, 2026 – Alberta Canola has launched a new advocacy campaign to increase domestic demand for canola, support Canadian processing, and create new market opportunities for growers. This campaign focusses on the need for stronger provincial and biofuel policies to ensure a stable environment to protect and attract biofuel investment.

Biofuels are creating value for canola and growers. One in three acres of canola planted in Canada is used to produce biofuels. Demand from the sector is estimated to contribute a $0.62 per bushel premium for Canadian canola.

Biofuels are a significant market for Canadian canola. We see this with the renewable diesel investment made by Imperial Oil at their Strathcona refinery near Edmonton. At capacity, the facility will use up to 3 million tonnes of canola seed annually.” said Andre Harpe, chair of the Alberta Canola board of directors.

Alberta Canola is encouraging growers to learn more about the opportunity and contact their elected representatives to share their support for stronger domestic biofuel policies.

Media Contact 
Michelle Chunyua  
Director of Communications  
Alberta Canola  
michelle@albertacanola.com  
780-224-7970  

Alberta Canola is a farmer directed organization that works to create value for canola growers through research, extension, advocacy and market development. We support biofuel policies that increase demand for Canadian canola and create long term opportunities for Alberta’s canola farmers.

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More Information

Alberta Canola is calling for 3 policy changes to grow the market: 

1. Grow renewable diesel demand 

Alberta Canola is calling for a pathway to a minimum 10 per cent renewable content requirement in the diesel pool by 2031. A stronger renewable diesel market could increase domestic demand for canola while supporting Canadian processing and investment. Alberta is currently reviewing its Renewable Fuels Standard, creating an important opportunity to consider how provincial fuel policy can support both the energy and agriculture sectors. 

2. Give Canadian feedstock a fair opportunity to compete 

Canadian canola competes with imported feedstocks, including used cooking oil, in renewable fuel markets. Alberta Canola is calling for policies that ensure Canadian and North American feedstocks have a fair opportunity to compete in supplying renewable fuels used to meet Canadian requirements. 

3. Open the next market: sustainable aviation fuel 

While renewable diesel represents a growing market today, Alberta Canola is also focused on future opportunities. The organization is calling for policies that recognize canola’s potential role in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). As Canada and international markets develop lower carbon aviation fuels, Alberta Canola wants Canadian agriculture positioned to participate in that emerging market. For growers, SAF could represent another opportunity to diversify demand beyond traditional food, feed and export markets. 

More markets mean more options for growers 

Export markets remain essential to Canadian canola. The goal of the campaign is not to replace them, but to build another strong market at home. A stronger biofuels sector in Alberta and Canada can diversify oilseed demand, support value added processing and create jobs and investment provincially and nationally. 

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Key Facts

1. How important are biofuels to canola today? One in three acres of Canadian canola is used to produce biofuels. 

2. Do biofuels affect canola prices? Biofuel demand is estimated to contribute a $0.62 per bushel premium for Canadian canola. 

3. How large could domestic demand become? Imperial Oil’s Strathcona renewable diesel facility alone has the capacity to use the oil equivalent of approximately 2.5 million tonnes of canola seed annually, equal to roughly 40 per cent of Alberta’s annual canola production. 

4. What is Alberta Canola asking for?

• A pathway to at least 10 per cent renewable content in the diesel pool by 2031. 

• Policies that give Canadian and North American feedstocks a fair opportunity to compete. 

• Policies that enable Canadian canola oil to be used as feedstock in a thriving Canadian sustainable aviation fuel market. 

5. Do farmers want increased market options? In Alberta Canola’s 2025 grower survey, 83 per cent of respondents said creating more market opportunities was a priority.

Sources: StatsCan, CIMT; Leftfield Commodity Research; Imperial Oil; Alberta Canola 2025 Grower Survey. 

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