NEW – Federal: CPA communicates its priorities to Prime Minister Trudeau

Prime Minister Trudeau’s new cabinet was sworn in on October 26. On November 22, a Speech from the Throne will highlight the opening of Parliament.

In a letter sent to the Prime Minister on October 4, CPA Board Chair Nancy Borden reaffirmed the propane industry’s commitment to working with the federal government. She also outlined important priorities of the CPA and that working with the federal government to advance those issues will provide “Canadians for everyday opportunities to reduce GHGs, live in healthier communities and create jobs”.

Priority issues outlined to the Prime Minister consist of amending the Canada Greener Homes Grant to include propane. This would ensure homeowners can have a real choice to reduce their carbon footprint and save money. For farmers, reforming the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act to exempt propane is critical. In doing so, it will place propane on a level playing field with gas and diesel for agriculture applications.

For Indigenous, remote and rural communities, the government could take immediate steps to reduce the carbon footprint by implementing a program for power generation that would facilitate the replacement of carbon-intense diesel with low-emission propane.

Borden noted that the transportation sector emits over 25 per cent of greenhouse gases in Canada. The introduction of tax credits for the conversion of commercial fleets from gasoline to propane would see return-to-base fleets such as taxis, couriers and police vehicles emitting far fewer GHGs and harmful toxins. Replacing gas and diesel school buses with those powered by propane will return similar results.

The CPA Chair reminded the Prime Minister that maintaining Line 5 is critical to the millions of Canadians who depend on propane to live and work. “We will continue to work with federal and provincial governments to ensure that there is no disruption of Line 5", Borden noted.

In terms of renewable propane, Borden indicated that the CPA will be proposing to work with the federal government in designing a “roadmap” that would support the development and production of renewable propane in Canada.

Borden concluded her letter by advising the Prime Minister that, “once your ministers are announced, we will be reaching out to them to discuss the environmental and economic advantages of propane.”