Parliament has given its final approval to Bill C-234—which now only requires one more vote in the Senate before becoming law.

Bill C-234 is a private members bill from Ontario Conservative MP Ben Lobb that would provide a carbon tax exemption for grain drying costs and the heating or cooling of livestock barns and greenhouses.
The third reading vote was 176-146—with all Opposition (Conservative, NDP, Bloc) MP’s voting in favor.

C-234 includes a sunset clause which would see the carbon tax exemption reviewed in eight years. It would allow the ruling government to let the bill lapse if new technologies were developed or to extend the exemption for a few more years.

The legislation has broad support from agricultural organizations—including the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, the Grain Growers of Canada and the Canadian Canola Growers Association. Conservative Shadow Ag Minister John Barlow hopes the Senate will give Bill C-234 Royal Assent by the end of the spring legislative sessions.

Meantime, the federal government says an additional $22.2 million has been allocated to 45 projects across the country—including 12 in Saskatchewan—under its Agricultural Clean Technology Program. Some of the projects involve transitioning to grain drying that does not require natural gas or propane.

One example is a 26,000 acre farm in the Kamsack area, north of Yorkton. Geerts Farm Ltd. will receive up to $2 million to purchase and install a new grain dryer and biomass boiler that is powered by locally sourced wood waste. Twelve other Saskatchewan farms have also qualified for federal funding under the program;

Riviere Ag Seeds Ltd                                                                     Radville               Precision Ag Technology and Fuel Switching   $215,373

Scharf Farm Partnership                                                             Perdue                 New Grain Dryers                   $2,000,000

Wendland Farms Ltd                                                                    Waldheim            New Grain Dryers                    $251,460