NEW – AB: CPA submits 2021 budget recommendations

On November 24, 2020, the CPA provided the Alberta government with its 2021 budget recommendations which highlight the benefits of propane.

The theme of the Alberta government’s plan for the next year – Alberta’s Recovery Plan: Creating Jobs, Building, and Diversifying – speaks to the importance of creating jobs and diversifying the economy while balancing the need to lower the province’s GHG emissions.

In its submission, the CPA emphasized that propane offers immediate opportunities to create jobs, diversify the economy, reduce emissions, and provides an affordable energy choice to Albertans. A truly holistic approach to GHG reductions in Alberta must include low-emission propane and renewable propane as part of its energy portfolio. Including propane now in policy and programming will result in an immediate energy solution to reduce GHGs while maintaining and growing jobs in Alberta.

The CPA’s recommendations are as follows:

  1. That the Alberta government commit itself to homeowners, businesses, institutions, manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, and industries who wish to reduce both energy costs and GHGs by switching from furnace oil or diesel to low-emission propane.  This can be done through an investment in rebates over a three-year period, beginning in the 2020-2021 fiscal year.
  2. That Alberta and the federal government work collaboratively to provide cleaner and healthier living conditions in Indigenous communities by funding over a three-year period, beginning in the 2020-2021 fiscal year, the conversion of residential, public and commercial buildings in Indigenous communities from diesel/furnace oil to propane.
  3. That over a three-year period beginning in the 2020–2021 fiscal year, the Alberta Government commit tax credits (up to $5,000 per commercial vehicle) towards the conversion of commercial vehicles in Alberta from traditional fuels to propane.
  4. That the Alberta government implement the same provisions for renewable propane production as it does for the promotion of hydrogen development and to consider becoming a net user and net exporter in renewable propane by 2030. Putting Alberta on the global renewable propane map now as this energy source is beginning to gain prominence will be crucial for the province to be at the forefront of future changes in energy.

 A copy of the budget submission may be found here.