Senate votes down C-234 amendments

The Senate voted today to reject amendments that would have seen barn and greenhouse heating removed from Bill C-234.

In a sitting on the afternoon of Nov. 7, senators voted no to the adoption of amendments made by the committee for agriculture and forestry. Twenty-eight voted yes, and four abstained.

The Senate then voted to conduct the third reading of the bill the next time it sits which, as per the Senate website, is Nov. 8. If the Senate votes to approve the bill without amendments after the third reading, it will be ready for royal assent.

Bill C-234 had its first reading in February of 2022. The private members’ bill proposed exempting fuels used for grain drying and heating of barns and greenhouses from the federal price on carbon.

While under consideration by the Senate’s committee for agriculture and forestry, senators voted by a narrow margin to remove barn and greenhouse heating from the bill.

Senator Pierre Dalphond proposed the amendment, telling the committee that while witnesses had made it clear there were no viable alternatives to drying grain with propane and natural gas, alternatives are possible with barns and greenhouses.

This received pushback from agriculture groups, not only because it would diminish relief for livestock and vegetable producers, but because an amendment would delay the progress of the bill.

On Monday, the Grain Farmers of Ontario and Ontario Pork put out statements urging the Senate to pass the bill as soon as possible.

Within minutes of the vote, Grain Growers of Canada released a statement applauding senators for voting down the amendment, and calling for swift passage of the bill.

Updated Nov. 8, correcting the name of Grain Farmers of Ontario.

— Geralyn Wichers reports for Glacier FarmMedia from Steinbach, Man.