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By Curtis Galbraith

Agriculture

GGC chair disappointed with delay for Bill C-234

Oct 26, 2023 | 6:00 AM

The chair of the Grain Growers of Canada says his group is disappointed that Bill C-234 has been delayed.

The bill would have eliminated the carbon tax on fuel used for grain drying and heating or cooling farm buildings like barns and greenhouses. Amendments passed by the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry removed the exemption for buildings.

Valhalla farmer Andre Harpe says Grain Growers is concerned about a delay in the passage of the bill.

“We thought C-234 was going to be implemented fairly quickly. We were hoping by Christmas. It is now going to be delayed (and) we’re not even sure how long.”

Harpe says “cattle farmers and, to come extent, even grain farmers are getting into the cold season and so a lot of natural gas is going to get used.”

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“We were hoping that costs were going to be lowered this winter, but it’s looking like that’s not going to happen anymore.”

Quebec Senator Pierre Dalphond made the motion to have the bill amended to delete the part exempting fuel for buildings. He says there are viable alternatives available for buildings that are not available for grain dryers.

Those include better insulation, in-floor heating, heat pumps, energy-efficient fans, more natural lighting and biomass heating.

The chair of the committee, Senator Robert Black of Ontario, had ruled the amendment inadmissible because it went against the basic principle of the bill and was therefore out of order. A motion to sustain the ruling was defeated by a vote of 7-5 with two abstentions, meaning the amendment could go ahead.

A proposed amendment to shorten the bill’s sunset clause from eight years to three was defeated on a tie vote.

Harpe says Grain Growers thought they had the support of the Senate, but it turns out they did not.

“It’s going to cost Canadian farmers quite a bit of money.”

It is not known when the bill will be back before the Senate for third reading.

The committee said at its most recent meeting Tuesday that the bill would be presented in the Senate at the earliest opportunity.

Grain Growers of Canada also issued a news release calling on senators to reject the amendments.

The group says in that same release that the same standards that apply to grain drying must also apply to livestock, fruit and vegetable growers who do not have viable alternatives.