Commercial Greenhouse operators in BC are now able to apply for a carbon tax relief grant for the 2019 production year. Applications will be accepted until March 29th and eligibility is based on whether your company has had sales exceeding $20,000, you use natural gas to heat your greenhouse, and you have a production area greater than 455 square metres.
The grant will cover 80% of the carbon tax costs that eligible greenhouse growers incurred from using natural gas or propane to heat their greenhouses in 2018.
The greenhouse sector supplies British Columbians with fresh vegetables for about 10 months of the year on about 300 hectares of land. Over 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse vegetables are grown per year, including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplants, lettuce and others. B.C.'s floriculture and nursery industries grow more than 80 million cut flowers and over 50 million potted plants a year.
The Ministry of Agriculture expects the processing and completion of applications, and the grants to be issued, by June 2019.