Market expansion and biomass credit
Petitioners ask Canada to fund market expansion for Canadian wood products and to promptly enact a biomass tax credit to support forestry jobs. The government responds it supports the sector and proposed biomass tax‑credit changes.
Why we would sign this petition
- Expanding market programs could open new domestic and export customers for Canadian wood, supporting rural employment and preserving forestry jobs.
- A biomass tax credit would lower investment costs for bioenergy projects, helping convert forest biomass into local electricity or heat and creating rural jobs.
- Combined market support and tax incentives could improve competitiveness versus U.S. producers and attract private investment into the forestry sector.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Federal funding and tax credits would cost money and may compete with other budget priorities.
- Market expansion and tax measures may not overcome trade barriers, wildfires, or pest-driven supply problems that cause job losses.
- Biomass energy projects face technical, supply-chain and sustainability uncertainties; incentives might not result in lasting jobs or clean energy.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED We, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following: Whereas Canada's forestry industry has historically been a source of good jobs for rural communities; The forestry industry has faced multiple challenges in recent years that have led to significant job losses including wildfires, infestations, and the ongoing softwood lumber dispute; U.S. trade policy poses a serious threat to Canada's forestry industry as well as the communities it supports; Forest biomass energy production has the potential to provide Canadian electrical grids with a sustainable source of energy while creating jobs for rural communities; and Canada's failure to implement biomass tax incentives has left our forestry sector at a competitive disadvantage compared to the U.S. Therefore, We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to commit to: 1. Increase federal funding for market expansion programs to find new customers for Canadian wood products and construction systems; and 2. Commit to the timely passage of a biomass tax credit to support Canadian forestry jobs.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Tim Hodgson, P.C., M.P. Canada’s new government supports our forestry sector and the growing demand for Canadian Forest Sector products – both at home and abroad. This includes efforts to double the rate of home building using Canadian wood products, Canadian skilled workers, and Canadian technology. Our government has been in active conversations with the American government and industry partners to find a resolution to the US softwood lumber duties. Getting a deal on softwood lumber that is in the best interest of Canadians is a top priority. As we engage with the US government, our government is expanding and deepening trade relationships with reliable trading partners and allies around the world to create more trade opportunities for our forestry sector and increase its resilience. Funding from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) supports innovation, research, and development of new products and processes in Canada’s forestry sector, strengthens Indigenous leadership, improves data on Canada’s forests, and advances initiatives that decrease market barriers for sustainable forest products. The Government of Canada is supporting the fight and prevention of wildfires. Through NRCan’s Equipment Fund, the federal government has signed agreements with all participating provinces and territories to fund the purchase of firefighting equipment. Further, the Government of Canada is on track to train over 1,000 additional firefighters through NRCan’s Training Fund. These efforts will strengthen Canada, protect our communities, and make our forestry sector more resilient as we combat wildfires which are increasingly worsened by climate change. Response by the Minister of Finance and National Revenue Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, P.C., M.P. The 2023 Fall Economic Statement proposed to expand eligibility for the 30-percent Clean Technology Investment Tax Credit to include systems that produce electricity, heat, or both electricity and heat from waste biomass. It was also announced that this expansion would be available to businesses investing in eligible property that is acquired and becomes available for use on or after November 21, 2023. The 2023 Fall Economic Statement also proposed to expand eligibility for the 15-percent Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit to include systems that produce electricity or both electricity and heat from waste biomass. This expansion would generally be available to taxable and certain non-taxable businesses investing in eligible property that is acquired and becomes available for use on or after April 16, 2024. Last summer, the government conducted public consultations on the draft legislation for this expansion of eligibility under the Clean Technology and Clean Electricity investment tax credits. Legislative amendments for these expansions have not been introduced in Parliament. As the government sets its legislative agenda, it will determine how and when to deal with previously announced measures.