A section on page 192 of the federal government’s new emissions reduction plan that refers to a “green levy” on pickup trucks has caught the attention of many Canadians. Thousands of people, including many Conservative politicians, have not only read but shared a column titled “Trudeau planning a tax on trucks” that was published on… Read More
Category: Carbon tax
Agriculture received multiple mentions in the 2022 federal budget unveiled on Thursday, mostly in the context of climate programs that had previously been announced. The budget, with its projected $52.8 billion deficit, also included some tax changes that could potentially impact farmers. As part of this live episode of RealAg Politics, we unpacked what was… Read More
If there’s one thing clear in Canada’s Emissions Reduction Plan, it’s that very few things are completely clear. Take for example what agriculture is expected to deliver in emissions reductions. It’s either a reduction of one percent, as listed on page 90, or an increase of one per cent as listed on page 219. Or… Read More
Put aside for a moment your opinion on the current federal government’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. (Though, if you’re curious, you can read about what is proposed, here) There are two timeframes to think about in regards to carbon emissions — there’s the 2030 line in the sand, by which… Read More
The federal government has published its plan detailing expectations of carbon emissions reductions by 2030, by sector. This first of many Emissions Reduction Plans (ERP) sets out what each industry will be required to achieve under the climate plan to get Canada to net zero emissions by 2050. In a lengthy technical briefing Tuesday afternoon,… Read More
There is so much happening in the carbon credit space right now, even those with over a decade in the business are taking a cautious approach. Alastair Handley, founder of Radicle, based at Calgary, Alta., says he’s got two words of advice for farmers itching to sell carbon credits to the voluntary market: slow down…. Read More
Proponents of a new private member’s bill that would remove natural gas and propane used on farms for grain drying and barn heating from the federal carbon pricing system are hoping it will proceed on an accelerated timeline, given the fact the bill is very similar in wording and intent to a previous bill that… Read More
Farm organizations from across the spectrum of Canadian agriculture welcomed the introduction of Bill C-234 in the House of Commons on Monday. The private member’s bill sponsored by Ben Lobb, the Conservative MP for Huron-Bruce, would amend the federal government’s carbon pricing legislation to provide an exemption from the carbon tax for natural gas and… Read More
Editor’s note: this article has been updated following the introduction of Lobb’s Bill C-234 in the House of Commons on February 7, confirming the details outlined in the earlier version. A Conservative MP from southern Ontario is making another attempt at removing the federal carbon tax from fuels used for drying grain and heating barns,… Read More
New details on how the federal government plans to rebate carbon taxes paid by farmers in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta were included in the Dec. 14 fiscal update presented by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. The Liberal government had previously promised, in the lead-up to the federal budget in spring 2021, that it would refund… Read More
Fertilizer Canada has released details of a report, compiled by Meyers Norris Penny (MNP), that aims to outline the significant impact a regulated reduction in nitrogen fertilizer use would have on farmers’ bottom lines. The Government of Canada has announced an “aspirational” goal of 30 per cent absolute emissions reduction target for on-farm fertilizer use… Read More
Ontario may have a relatively small acreage base for agriculture production, but the value and volume of food and food ingredients produced is second to none. Supporting that valuable production and processing capacity is key for Grain Farmers of Ontario, and CEO Crosby Devitt says that that comes down to three main points for the immediate… Read More
The federal government has rejected Saskatchewan’s plan to replace the federal carbon tax, while at the same time announcing stricter requirements for provinces looking to avoid the federal carbon pricing system starting in 2023. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says the rejection “can only be viewed as an arbitrary and political decision,” in a statement issued… Read More
Update, June 29: The Senate adjourned until September 21 on Tuesday, leaving Bill C-206 on the Order Paper. It would die there if a federal election is called this summer. The private member’s bill that would remove the federal carbon tax from natural gas and propane used on farms still has a last-minute chance at… Read More
In the uncertainty of a national carbon strategy and how a carbon offset system will work, farmers’ contributions to sequestration and carbon emission mitigation efforts are frequently minimized. It seems the more knowledge there is about the exact amount of carbon sequestered in agricultural land, the more power farmers may have in lobbying for exemptions… Read More