The Canadian Propane Association (CPA) has asked the Senate to reject the proposed amendment to remove heating and cooling of barns and greenhouses from Bill C-234. “The Parliamentary Budget Officer has estimated that if passed, C-234 will save farmers nearly $1 billion dollars by 2030,” said CPA President Shannon Watt in a press release.“It will provide huge savings in input costs for farmers and those savings can be passed along to consumers in the form of lower food prices.”Bill C-234 would, in its original form, permit exemptions for low-emission fuels such as propane and natural gas under the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (GGPPA). Under the GGPPA, similar exemptions apply to high-emission fuels such as gasoline and diesel. The CPA said the savings gained under C-234 would be good for farmers and families. Watt alleged opposition to C-234 “reflects a lack of understanding of life in rural Canada.” She added decarbonization in rural and remote communities will be tougher than in cities because of the lack of access to services such as public transit, electric vehicle stations and renewable electricity. Because of the carbon tax, it said farmers are experiencing unwarranted strain on their livelihoods and Canada is experiencing threats to food security and independence. It acknowledged more people using food banks indicates the struggles Canada is facing. While the Canadian government has been pushing decarbonization, she said it “has been clear that the rush to decarbonization risks leaving folks behind, especially those who live in rural Canada.” C-234 would offer low-emission energy choices and savings for farmers, which can result in lower food prices for people. It was passed in the House of Commons in March, with the support of MPs from all political parties across Canada.Watt concluded by saying efforts to remove the exemption for heating and cooling of barns and greenhouses will gut C-234. “It's time for some Senators to stop playing politics with important legislation, start putting farmers and Canadian families first and pass the original version of C-234,” she said. The Canadian government took steps to clamp down on methane in June. READ MORE: Feds to tighten screws on methane — Canada’s ‘other’ greenhouse gasThe Canadian government’s 2023 greenhouse gas inventory found the largest portion of methane comes from the oil and gas sector. When it comes to these emissions, 98% of them are fugitives from venting, flaring and leaky gas wells.“These emissions are challenging to quantify and can be significant,” said Environment and Climate Change Canada assistant deputy minister Marc D’Iorio.
