Eligible B.C. greenhouse growers will soon be able to obtain a point-of-sale carbon tax reduction to help them preserve their cash flow and continue growing the vegetables and plants British Columbians enjoy. Yet cannabis growers are not included.
The new greenhouse carbon tax exemption replaced the Greenhouse Carbon Tax Relief Grant on April 1, 2023. It will offer eligible greenhouses an 80% carbon tax reduction on propane or natural gas sales at the point of sale rather than having growers recoup those expenses through the relief grant program.
To be eligible for the reduction, commercial producers must use more than 90% of the greenhouse for growing vegetables, ornamental flowers or plants, forest seedlings or nursery plants (cannabis is not eligible), providing:
- they sold more than $20,000 in eligible plants in 2022 and expect the same revenues in the next year; and
- they will use natural gas or propane to heat their greenhouses or to produce carbon dioxide.
Since the carbon tax exemption is implemented on April 1, 2023, the Greenhouse Carbon Tax Relief Grant will provide rebates to offset the carbon tax paid by the greenhouse and floriculture industry between January and March 31, 2023.
Quick Facts:
- The greenhouse carbon tax exemption will provide eligible greenhouse operations with an 80% exemption to the carbon tax, which was implemented on April 1, 2023, by the Ministry of Finance.
- Fuel sellers will develop and implement their own point-of-sale processing systems.
- Greenhouse growers supply communities with fresh vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, for about 10 months of the year and are a key contributor to B.C.’s food security and the provincial economy.
- B.C.’s floriculture and nursery industries grow approximately 80 million greenhouse flowers and 50 million potted plants per year.
