Canada: Carbon tax relief applauded by greenhouse growers
The announcement of $6 million in grants for greenhouse vegetable growers and $1.6 million for flower growers was made by Minister of Agriculture Don McRae at a Delta greenhouse on Tuesday.
The $7.6 million correlates to the amount of carbon tax B.C.'s greenhouse growers pay in a year.
Last Thursday, Throness was asked by Chilliwack Agricultural Commission chair and poultry farmer Walter Dyck when the government was "going to look after the carbon tax for us."
Dyck said that fuel is the second most expensive input into his operation.
Throness told Dyck that McRae's announcement was coming.
"Greenhouses were identified in the job strategy which came out in September as a priority for the government," Throness said Wednesday.
The B.C. greenhouse industry has been telling the government for years that the carbon tax is a "significant challenge" for growth of the sector.
"The bottom line is B.C. growers will be able to better compete with producers in the USA and Mexico as a result of the carbon tax grant," B.C. Greenhouse Growers' Association president Peter Cummings said in a government press release.
While fuel is the largest expense for greenhouse growers, Dyck told Throness that fuel is number two on his list of costs as a poultry producer.
Throness couldn't say if further relief for other agriculture sectors was coming, but he did say the entire carbon tax is under review.
"It does demonstrate the government's concern for competitiveness in business and for agriculture in particular," he said.
Conservative by-election candidate John Martin called the greenhouse carbon tax announcement an attempt to "buy votes in this upcoming byelection with taxpayers' money."
He said the process is wrong on two fronts.
"Why should every other British Columbian pay for the carbon tax but greenhouse growers be exempted?" Martin asked. "Secondly, why does the government create a bureaucracy to collect the carbon tax and then create a second bureaucracy to give the carbon tax back to greenhouse growers?"
Eligible growers for the grant money must be operational in 2012, have had 2011 sales greater than $20,000, use at least 455 square metres for commercial production, and be able to include their 2011 fuel receipts in their applications.
Read more: http://www.chilliwacktimes.com/technology/Carbon+relief+applauded+greenhouse+growers/6414197/story.html#ixzz2QWuP7mD5