NEW – BC: Propane opportunity missed again in the provincial budget

While the CPA welcomes the B.C. government’s commitment to a low-carbon future in the provincial budget delivered on February 22, 2022, by Finance Minister Selina Robinson, there is no mention of propane initiatives or incentives, nor recognition of the importance of vital economic contributions made by B.C.’s natural resources, including propane production.

The Business Council of British Columbia stated: “If British Columbia is to realise our full potential, and the vision of an inclusive, innovative and sustainable economy that improves the quality of life for all who live here, meaningful action must be taken to create a welcoming investment climate with streamlined regulatory processes and attractive tax structures.”

Of particular note, the budget provides:   

• Rebates for zero-emission vehicles charging infrastructure,
• Motor vehicle tax exemption for use of hydrogen in internal combustion engines,
• Expansion of the Low Carbon Fuel Standards with a new emissions cap on natural gas utilities, and
• PST exemption for heat pumps, paired with an increase in PST for fossil fuel heating equipment, to help fund the cost of a new incentive to make heat pumps more affordable for rural and northern communities.

The CPA will continue to advocate for the inclusion of propane in policy and regulatory regimes as an affordable, abundant, low-carbon source of energy for the province, particularly for the remote and Indigenous regions of B.C. where diesel dependence remains a concerning trend.