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Grain drying relief moving forward, one way or other

Governing Liberals telegraph plans to introduce their own measure

Despite voting against a bill to exempt certain farm fuels from the carbon tax, the governing federal Liberals say tax relief for grain drying is coming. Conservative MP Philip Lawrence’s private member’s bill C-206, An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (qualifying farming fuel), passed second reading in the House of Commons […] Read more

Agriculture critic MP Lianne Rood asks a question in the House of Commons.

Carbon tax exemption: $235 million over five years

Government says Climate Action fund will pay for $11.9 million in projects

A report from Canada’s Parliamentary Budget Office says the cost of exempting more farm fuels from carbon pricing will cost $235 million over the next five years.  Why it matters: Ottawa’s carbon tax will increase farmer expenses but by how much is still in question. If certain activities are granted exemptions from the carbon pricing […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Diesel prices, carbon tax cause headaches for farmers

MarketsFarm — Crude oil prices have been steadily on the rise since last November as oil-producing nations implement production cuts and Canadian farmers already affected by climbing diesel prices will have to dig deeper into their wallets this April. On April 1, the federal government’s carbon levy on diesel will go up from 8.05 cents […] Read more

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Bibeau promises help to farmers on rising carbon tax

Funds expected to help farmers cut emissions

A steadily rising carbon tax has a lot of Western Canada’s grain farmers wondering how they’ll compete in world markets against competitors not subjected to a similar tax. “I think the world market is also looking towards a greener economy and always more sustainable agriculture,” federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said when the question was […] Read more

Opinion: Biden’s victory a win for carbon pricing policy

Opinion: Biden’s victory a win for carbon pricing policy

Canada’s carbon pricing could help products get through a stiffer U.S. border

United States President-elect Joe Biden’s climate strategy will lay waste to the tired opposition some Canadians have to our country’s carbon pricing policy. Biden campaigned on aggressively combating climate change. When he becomes president in January, it is expected he will create investment in green technologies. Like Canada, the U.S. will soon be trying to […] Read more


Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, with Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna (l) and Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault (r), speaks at the Dominion Arboretum in Ottawa on Dec. 11, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Blair Gable)

New greening programs planned for ag alongside carbon tax hike

Carbon price to hit $170 per tonne by 2030

A new federal climate plan which further cranks up taxes on carbon emissions also includes pledges of new programs to help sink more carbon into farmland. The government on Friday released the sequel to its 2016 Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change — a “strengthened” climate plan, titled A Healthy Environment and a […] Read more

(Conservative Party of Canada video screengrab via YouTube)

CPC leadership hopefuls list ending carbon tax as priority for agriculture

Party leadership candidates also look to strengthen trade relationships

Removing the carbon tax is the main priority for the two top Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) leadership candidates, according to a recent survey. Peter MacKay and Erin O’Toole, considered the front-runners in a small field of leadership hopefuls, listed eliminating the environmental policy in response to a series of questions posed to them by […] Read more

Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and Conservative ag critic John Barlow discussed the impact of carbon pricing on farm expenses when Bibeau addressed an agriculture committee meeting on June 10, 2020. (Video screengrabs from Parl.gc.ca)

Carbon pricing not having ‘significant impact’ on grain drying, Bibeau says

Conservatives, ag groups dispute government's numbers

Ottawa — Grain drying costs an average of $210 to $819 per farm in carbon taxes, according to federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau. Her department used data provided by grower groups – including Manitoba’s Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) and the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) – to arrive at the figures. The federal estimate […] Read more


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Federal carbon tax rises despite opposition, pandemic

Ottawa not backing away from scheduled increases

Ottawa — The federal government has pushed ahead with an increase to the carbon tax despite continued calls from the agriculture sector for reprieve from the program. The price on carbon rose from $20 per tonne to $30 per tonne effective April 1. The federal Liberal government is standing firm on its commitment to increase […] Read more

Farmer ready to cut woodlots to pay carbon tax

Farmer ready to cut woodlots to pay carbon tax

Government needs to pay for carbon sinks like woodlots and crops, he says

A Lambton County farmer, a winner of environmental awards, says he is ready to rip out his woodlots to help pay for carbon taxes on his farm. Joe Kerr, his wife and their company own about 1,800 acres, about 365 of which is woodlot. He doesn’t expect to clear it all, because it wouldn’t make […] Read more