Saskatchewan politicians who made a very public accusation of trespassing by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) scientists have received an equally public response from the federal environment minister, Steven Guilbeault. In a letter to Jeremy Cockrill, the minister responsible for Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency, dated August 24, Guilbeault writes: “I believe that we, and… Read More
The Canadian government has unveiled its first carbon offset trading protocol, the initial step in creating a carbon exchange for federally regulated industries. For companies that must meet targets, the government allows for up to 75 per cent of emissions reductions being achieved through internal reductions and/or through the purchase of federally recognized offsets (25… Read More
With some southern Alberta farmers already in the fields seeding, many producers are still waiting ?— and for good reason ?— as the weather across the Prairies can, and has, turned on a dime. The unpredictability that is spring weather is being demonstrated perfectly in Saskatchewan this week. The southwest portion of the province was the… 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
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
The federal government has its eye on reducing nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer, but it’s not clear how it intends to reach its target, and whether the target is achievable without having a detrimental impact on crop yields. Last December, while announcing the federal carbon tax would be increasing to $170/tonne of CO2 equivalent, the… 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
We’ve been told many times over the last few years about the important role of agriculture and soil in reducing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. But as the Canadian government’s policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions take shape, it appears many Canadian farmers will not be eligible for any reward through the Liberal… Read More
Federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau launched a $185 million climate-focused program today, called the Agriculture Climate Solutions program. Aimed at building “climate resiliency” within the agriculture sector, the ACS program is intended to be led by farmers and farm groups tasked with developing and deploying climate solutions tailored for each region,… Read More
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) will continue its species at risk stewardship activities with a $1.27 million contribution from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCA). The Species At Risk Partnership on Agricultural Lands (SARPAL) initiative will be delivered in partnership with MULTISAR, Cows and Fish, Alberta Beef Producers, and the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. The additional… Read More
The federal government announced its draft regulations for a national carbon offset framework, and while the kinks still need to be worked out, the first protocol that is intended to proceed is for soil organic carbon. As such, I’ve been working to lay out what this may entail and why carbon sequestration may not be… Read More
The federal government has unveiled the draft regulations for its Greenhouse Gas Offset Credit System, which is designed to facilitate the generation and trade of credits for projects and practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “The development of the Federal Greenhouse Gas Offset System will mean farmers can be recognized and rewarded for reducing greenhouse-gas… Read More
The federal government plans to introduce draft regulations for its national greenhouse gas offset system in the next few weeks. Originally announced in the 2019 federal budget, the intent is to establish a framework for generating carbon offset credits, which can then be sold to help others meet their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets. The offset… Read More
The federal government is making good on its Throne Speech commitment to establishing the Canada Water Agency, and wants Canadians’ input in the process. The Ministers of Environment and Climate Change and Agriculture and Agri-Food have jointly released a statement officially launching the public consultation period for the Agency. “Canadians know the importance of protecting our… Read More
The proposed rules for the federal government’s new Clean Fuel Standard (CFS) are set to be published this week, and will include changes aimed at addressing some of the concerns farmers and farm groups raised regarding an earlier proposal, according to a government document and government sources familiar with the file. Several farm and commodity… Read More
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