Canadian firm fined CA$25,000 for illegal R134a import
29th October 2026
CANADA: An automotive service company in Alberta, has been fined CA$25,000 (US$17,900) for attempting to import over 0.5 tonnes of R134a in violation of Canadian regulations.
Mark’s Auto Air Conditioning & Car Accessories of Strathcona County, Alberta, pleaded guilty to one count of violating section 64 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
In May 2023, enforcement officers from Environment and Climate Change Canada inspected a shipment being held in a controlled storage facility in Edmonton, Alberta. Mark’s Auto Air Conditioning & Car Accessories had imported the shipment through the Canada-US land border in Emerson, Manitoba.
The shipment included 40 30lb cylinders and 120 12oz bottles of 134a, an HFC still widely used in vehicle air conditioning systems.
The shipment was refused entry into Canada and analysis of samples collected confirmed the presence of HFC134a. Officers launched an investigation that found that the company did not have the permit required under the regulations to import the gas into Canada.
Mark’s Auto Air Conditioning & Car Accessories pleaded guilty at the Provincial Court of Manitoba in September. The fine will be directed to the Government of Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund to support projects that have a positive impact on the environment.
