There is an opportunity for you to add your voice and strengthen the growing call to exempt farmers from paying the carbon tax on farm use propane and natural gas. It is not that common but it is very reassuring to see such solidarity from so many groups right across Canada with respect to a single farm-related issue. This includes commodity groups, accredited farm organizations, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and the Ontario Agri Business Association (the OABA serves as the representative organization for crop input suppliers, country grain elevators and feed manufacturing facilities operating out of 375 business locations throughout Ontario).

If anyone would like to support this ‘call to exempt’, please sign our petition. It would be great if you would also contact your MP and MPP.

What is at the heart of this exemption request is the recognition and understanding that farmers are primary producers and, for the most part, price takers and end users. We have no way to recoup this cost. Everyone in the chain above us can recover the cost of the carbon tax paid by them by passing it on (i.e. billing the farmer for it) but farmers have no way to recoup this cost because we cannot set prices in a global market (but must try to remain competitive in that market). It is the reason why gasoline and diesel fuel for farm use have been exempted from carbon tax pricing. The same logic should apply to farm use propane and natural gas. Grain must be dried. Barns must be heated. Crops must be irrigated. Boilers must be fired to create steam for pellet mill operation in the production of livestock and poultry feeds. These are not optional activities and, at the present time, there are no viable replacements for fossil fuels to dry the crops, heat the barns, irrigate the crops and fire the boilers. It is important that all farm use natural gas and propane is subject o the carbon tax - the carbon tax on grain drying at commercial dryer/elevator systems can and is being passed on to farmers and sits on their bottom line.

On August 11th, 2020, the Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh (ACW) Township Council, Huron County, passed a resolution asking that the federal government of Canada support the broad-based call to exempt farmers from paying the carbon tax on farm use propane and natural gas. The motion was sent to Lisa Thompson, MPP for Huron-Bruce and Ben Lobb MP for Huron-Bruce. A copy of the motion was sent to all lower tier municipalities in the County of Huron and the Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus for their consideration. On September 2nd Huron County Council supported the same resolution.
As part of the farming community in Huron County we are deeply appreciative of ACW and Huron County Councils for acting on our letters to them of July 14, 2020 and September 2nd respectively.

The fall harvest is upon us. Our Federal Parliament has reconvened. Now is the time for the grassroots to make its voice heard. Please join us!

Thank you.

Anita Frayne and Maggie Durnin, Ontario