Saskatchewan farmers push government to pass bill for carbon tax exemption | 24CA News
Farmers from throughout Western Canada are demanding senators go Bill C-234 straight away.
That invoice would give them an exemption from the carbon tax on the fuels they use to dry grain and warmth their barns.
But the issue is that they want the invoice to be handed by the tip of the month.
“On our farm we use propane to dry grain. Virtually every fall we have to dry some grain,” mentioned Bill Prybylski with the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS).
“Since the carbon taxes been increasing over the years it would be significant cost to higher production.”
As farming season persists, farmers are voicing considerations concerning the added value of getting to pay the carbon tax once they warmth their barns and dry their grain.
“They (are) paying upward of $2,500 a month just in carbon tax to heat … that is a huge expense here month over month,” mentioned Ian Boxall, APAS. “This is just something I hope they understand not only for the agriculture but also for the economy.”
Famers in Saskatchewan pay an estimated $40 million in carbon tax to ship grains to port, normally by rail, and say the added burden of paying it on heating and drying is an excessive amount of.
“It’s just going to improve our bottom line if we end up having to dry a significant portion of our crop this fall with,” mentioned Prybyski. “If we’re having to pay the carbon tax … we have no way of recovering that and no alternative source of fuel to run our grain dryer.”
Bill C-234 handed within the House of Commons again in March however now it’s stalled within the second studying within the Senate.
That’s why farmers at the moment are urging senators to go the invoice earlier than the session is over on the finish of the month.
“This is something we have lobbied for years … and in the senate now and if they don’t send it (to) committee this week, there is a chance we would not get (it) passed in this sitting to have it in place for this coming fall,” mentioned Boxall.
They are saying that if Bill C- 234 is handed, it would take an insufferable burden off farmers. The Liberal chair of the Federal Agriculture committee known as on senators to go the invoice with out additional delay.
Saskatchewan senator Denise Batters says your complete Conservative caucus within the Senate strongly helps the invoice.
“I strongly support this bill, and I have spoken in favour of the need for it many times, in the Senate Chamber (in speeches and in Question Period), and on social media,” acknowledged Batters in an announcement.
“I acknowledge how necessary this invoice is to farmers in my province of Saskatchewan and all through Canada.
— with recordsdata from Victoria Idowu
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
