The bill is in the committee stage in the Senate
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
An Ontario ag organization is the latest to call for legislators to pass a bill to provide carbon tax relief to Canadian farmers.
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) on Oct. 13 said Bill C-234 needs to receive royal assent to support farmers who use propane and natural gas when no other options exist.
“With no viable alternatives to propane and natural gas for grain drying and barn heating, and the high price for energy use, the charge collected on these fuels makes it even more difficult for farmers to manage business finances,” the OFA said.
Bill C-234 is currently in the committee stage in the Senate.
It’s during this stage where legislators study the bill in depth and may consider making changes.
The OFA wants the bill to pass “without amendment so the Department of Finance Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada can move quickly to remove the fuel charge on natural gas and propane for agricultural use,” the organization said.
Multiple organizations have appealed to lawmakers to pass this bill.
In July, for example, Prairie ag groups and the Agriculture Carbon Alliance asked for the bill to pass before the summer recess.
And in September, the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan wrote directly to Sask. senators asking them to work quickly to give Bill C-234 royal assent.
Providing Canadian farmers with carbon tax relief means more money available for producers to invest back into their operations.
A report from the Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates the relief could save farmers nearly $1 billion through 2030.
Canadian agriculture contributes about 10 per cent of total national emissions.
In 2021, this number was around 69 megatonnes of carbon emitted, making ag the 5th largest source of greenhouse gas emissions that year, Environment and Climate Change Canada data shows.
For context, the oil and gas sector contributed the most greenhouse gas emissions in 2021. That industry emitted about 189 megatonnes of carbon, almost three times as much as the ag sector.