Fee reduction is estimated to save producers $10 million in 2017/18
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
Federal Minister of Agriculture Lawrence MacAulay supports the Canadian Grain Commission’s (CGC) proposal to reduce user fees.
On March 1, the CGC launched consultations about reduced user fees. Proposed changes to the Canada Grain Act were published in the April 22 edition of the Canada Gazette.
The proposed changes include reduced fees for official inspection and official weighing services during the 2017/18 fiscal year. The time and one-half overtime fee and the double time overtime fee would also be eliminated.
In total, fees would be reduced by about 24 per cent, resulting in savings of about $10 million for 2017/18.
Western Canada’s producers are the main reason for these reductions, MacAulay said.
"One of the results of the tremendous production we’ve seen in Western Canada over the past few years has been higher revenues at the Canadian Grain Commission,” he said in a statement. “As a result, I committed to our stakeholders to look at ways to lower its user fees. Today’s announcement is an important step to putting more money in the pockets of our farmers…”
Canadian grain organizations applaud the CGC’s efforts to save farmers money.
“We applaud this regulation and look forward to working with government on the consultations around the new fee schedule and use of the current surplus,” Jeff Nielsen, president of Grain Growers of Canada, said in a release. “As an industry, it is important to know that government is listening to the needs of farmers and decisions such as this demonstrate that our voices are being heard in Ottawa.”
Until May 1, producers, farm groups and grain companies are invited to provide input on how to use the surplus funds, which CGC estimates is about $107 million.
Input can be sent to:
Accumulated Surplus Comments
Canadian Grain Commission
600-303 Main Street Winnipeg MB R3C 3G8
Telephone: 204-984-0506
Fax: 204-983-2751
Email: discussions@grainscanada.gc.ca