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Tag Archives federal government — page 14

A PBO report outlines the cost of extending the qualifying farm fuel exemption.
News

Ontario could be hardest hit by carbon tax

Parliamentary Budget Officer looked at extending exemption to propane and natural gas

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Glacier FarmMedia – An updated report from the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) shows that Canadian farmers on the Prairies and in Ontario could pay $184 million annually in carbon tax by 2030. The report released Jan. 20 outlines the cost of extending the exemption on qualifying farm fuel to natural gas and propane, as the […] Read more
(File photo by Lorraine Stevenson)
Crops

Elevators hope mandatory vaccination doesn’t disrupt operations

New regulations will require all federally regulated employees to comply early in 2022

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Canada’s major companies hope their operations won’t be disrupted when Ottawa requires federally regulated employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 starting early in 2022. “It depends on whether employees that aren’t vaccinated will get vaccinated, or would they leave their jobs,” Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevator Association (WGEA) said in an interview […] Read more
Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland appears at a news conference in Ottawa on Sept. 24, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Blair Gable)
Markets

Canada to wind down broad-based COVID aid programs

Feds opt for targeted measures as economy recovers

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Ottawa | Reuters — Canada will not extend existing broad-based COVID-19 support programs for companies and individuals when they expire on Saturday because the economy is recovering well, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Thursday. Instead, Ottawa will introduce more targeted and less costly measures for hard-hit sectors such as the tourism industry. The new […] Read more
It would be nice if Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada would emphasize farming’s contribution to the fight against greenhouse gas emissions, says the writer.
News

Opinion: Farmers need backing from agriculture ministry

Credit needs to be given for the role farmers have played in sequestering carbon

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The government of Canada has endorsed an ambitious agenda to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This agenda has resulted in setting targets that will be hard to meet unless significant changes are made in the way Canadians undertake various activities. The government has also identified farming activities as a key culprit in greenhouse gas emissions. The […] Read more
“If there aren’t groups like us that are actively trying to bring attention back to this topic and keep it in front of the government and media, it will very likely get pushed aside.” – Jennifer Christie, Ag Women's Network.
News

Rural child care faces a long road ahead

There is reason to be optimistic, but local initiatives will be key for implementation

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The federal government has pledged $30 billion over the next five years to help offset the cost of early learning and child care services. Its goal is to create a national child care system with costs of $10 per day for the average Canadian family. The proposed program has created optimism that child care services […] Read more
Tractors and other large machinery can be written off early with a new budget measure, but only for corporations.
News

Federal budget brings few farm tax changes

Main points include wage subsidies, closing loopholes, and front-loading equipment write-offs

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The 2021 federal budget included provisions designed to garner more revenues from high-level sources such as digital media companies and absentee homeowners.  On the farm side, however, analysts say tax changes appear light by comparison.  Why it matters: Some anticipated tax increases for small business were not included in the 2021 federal budget.  What wasn’t […] Read more
The federal government is willing to unlock $45 million to increase compensation rates to farmers, so long as the provinces agree to collectively contribute $30 million.
News

Opinion: The feds came with cash for AgriStability, but Prairie provinces are holdouts

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Provinces expressing disappointment with the federal government for not putting its share of AgriStability funding on the table are being disingenuous and failing to take their share of responsibility for reform talks that failed largely due to their tight pockets. The AgriStability saga between Prairie provinces and the federal government continues, despite the two sides […] Read more
News

Farm-created plastic management gets federal funding

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The federal government is investing $4.5 million in five projects to improve plastic waste management from farms and advance bioplastics research. Marie-Claude Bibeau, Canada’s minister of agriculture and agri-food made a recent announcement alongside Cleanfarms, the national non-profit industry stewardship organization. Cleanfarms will receive up to $1.1 million through the Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program […] Read more
Opinion: Keep an eye on Budget ‘21
News

Opinion: Keep an eye on Budget ‘21

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The federal government’s next budget could have a significant impact on the future of Canadian agriculture.  It’s worth paying attention to. Canadians didn’t get a 2020 budget: it was an early casualty of COVID-19, cancelled in the pandemic’s infancy.  Instead we were offered economic updates and a series of spending announcements, almost entirely COVID-19 related.  […] Read more
Agriculture critic MP Lianne Rood asks a question in the House of Commons.
News

Carbon tax exemption: $235 million over five years

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

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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

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