In 1995, British Columbia (BC) designed its own program to reduce ozone levels in its Lower Fraser Valley (an ozone non-attainment area encompassing Vancouver and surrounding areas). Like the CCME initiative, the BC initiative involved detailed discussions and negotiations with oil refiners in Western Canada. It also included an independent study of the technical and economic consequences of such standards on these refineries. BC's initiative was especially sensitive because it came on the heels of two refinery closures in Western Canada.

MathPro Inc. served as a subcontractor to Kilborn Inc. in an engagement to estimate the economic and technical impacts on refineries in British Columbia and Alberta (and the economic impacts on gasoline consumers in British Columbia) of proposed new British Columbia standards for gasoline composition and automobile emissions.

In this engagement, MathPro Inc.

• Reviewed economic data submitted to BC's Ministry of Environment, Land, and Parks (MELP) by the oil refineries in British Columbia and Alberta;
• • Developed independent estimates of the investment requirements, incremental operating costs, and operational changes in refining and supply associated with the production of gasoline in compliance with each of the proposed standards; and
• • Participated in discussions with refinery representatives, to resolve differences between study-generated cost estimates and the refiners’ cost estimates.

These discussions led to a government-industry consensus on the costs of proposed standards. Results of this engagement contributed directly to MELP's selection of new gasoline standards (now promulgated).