Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Carbon tax exemption trimmed

Senator Pierre Dalphond has tossed a monkey wrench into the adoption of a bill to exempt grain drying and barn heating from the carbon tax.

He said farmers have no alternatives for grain drying, but do have options for heating barns and greenhouses to explain his exemption.


Senator Don Plett opposed the amendment, noting that Delphond’s move will delay passage of the legislation.


Its alteration by the Senate not only diminishes [carbon price] relief but also increases the cost of Canadian food production,” said Jan VanderHout, president of the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada“It’s disheartening to witness this lost opportunity for meaningful impact,” he added.

Grain farmers have been in the forefront of requests for an exemption.