Growers say bill amendment increases cost of Canadian food production

The Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC), in a press release, has "expressed their profound disappointment regarding the Senate amendment to Bill C-234." The amendment referenced was put forth by Senator Pierre Dalphond and "removes the heating and cooling of agricultural buildings, including greenhouses, from the full carbon pricing exemptions initially encompassed by the bill."

"Our family farms and the fresh fruit and vegetables they provide are under immense strain," states Jan VanderHout, President of FVGC. "The original version of Bill C-234,  passed with all party-support by the House of Commons, promised tangible relief to a sector already navigating numerous challenges—from stabilizing grocery prices to contending with carbon tax pressures.  Its alteration by the Senate not only diminishes this relief but also increases the cost of Canadian food production. It's disheartening to witness this lost opportunity for meaningful impact."

"The importance of Bill C-234 to our sector cannot be overstated," says Linda Delli Santi, Chair of the Greenhouse Vegetable Working Group. "This amendment disrupts the balance, making it even more challenging for the greenhouse industry to plan for a sustainable future. While we appreciate the existing 80% exemption under the federal Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (GGPPA), it's clearly no longer enough when an Ontario family farm growing 30 acres of greenhouse peppers faces nearly $150,000 in annual carbon tax costs at today's rate of $65 per tonne. Carbon and heat are essential for greenhouse crops. This Senate amendment strips away our industry’s ability to make innovative investments in sustainable agriculture and produce food that the world so desperately needs."