Letters & Submissions

March 2, 2022

Mr. Ben Lobb, MP
Huron-Bruce
30 Victoria St. N
Goderich, ON N7A 2R6

Re: Bill C-234 entitled “An Act to Amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act”

Dear Mr. Lobb,

The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO) is an Accredited Farm Organization representing the interests of over 4,000 farm families in Ontario who are called to the vocation of farming. CFFO policy promotes economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable farming, advocating that farmers receive fair return for their production and stewardship efforts.

We are writing to indicate our support for your Private Member’s Bill C-234 “An Act to Amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act.” This Bill addresses key gaps in the current Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act.

We are pleased that Bill C-234 specifically amends the definition of “eligible farming machinery” to include equipment to heat buildings for raising or housing animals and grain dryers. We also strongly support the proposed addition of marketable natural gas and propane to the definition of “qualifying farming fuel.”

This Bill corrects a key oversight in the current Act that left farmers paying significant costs for essential fuels for heating barns and drying grains after harvest. We are pleased that the Bill calls for an exemption to be extended to include fuels used for these farming purposes. Farmers continue to face challenges including weather extremes, market fluctuations, supply chain disruptions and on-farm labour shortages. In this context, farmers need greater support from government, not higher costs.

We hope that MPs in all parties will see the value of supporting your Private Member’s Bill as a way to support farmers. Agriculture is an industry vital to our food supply, health and economic prosperity.
Thank you for your support for farmers.

Sincerely,

Ed Scharringa, President
Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario

cc: Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau, MP, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Hon. Lisa Thompson, MPP, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Ontario