Bill S-215 explained in plain English
An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (farming exemptions)
Federal Parliament bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Parliament of Canada snapshot for 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. MP vote breakdowns appear when the House of Commons publishes a recorded division export for that bill. Senate and House stage details include official debate/sitting links when LEGISinfo publishes them.
Our plain-language take, written for civic education.
Source: By PoliticalData.ca
Bill S-215 amends the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act to modify the definitions of eligible farming machinery and qualifying farming fuel.
Bill S-215 proposes to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act. It would change how 'eligible farming machinery' and 'qualifying farming fuel' are defined. These changes are related to potential exemptions from pollution pricing for farming operations.
- Amends the definition of 'eligible farming machinery' in section 3 of the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act.
- Amends the definition of 'qualifying farming fuel' in section 3 of the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act.
- Farmers or individuals operating farms in Canada.
- The federal government, specifically in its administration of the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act.
- The bill does not specify the exact date these changes would come into effect.
- The bill uses the term 'prescribed type of fuel' in the definition of qualifying farming fuel, but does not specify what types of fuel would be prescribed or by whom.
Changes the definition of 'eligible farming machinery' by adding a new category for property used for heating or cooling buildings or similar structures, and by removing property used for heating or cooling buildings or similar structures as a listed item. It also adds 'or' to the end of paragraph (e) of that definition. This may affect what farming machinery is considered eligible under the Act.
Source: Section 1(1) and 1(2)
Replaces the definition of 'qualifying farming fuel' to include 'marketable natural gas' and 'propane' in addition to gasoline, light fuel oil, or a prescribed type of fuel. This may affect which fuels used in farming are considered qualifying under the Act.
Source: Section 1(3)
Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.
Official textParliamentary Process
Bill S-215, concerning farming exemptions to the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, completed first reading in the Senate on February 18, 2020, and is proceeding through second reading debates.
This record shows the procedural steps for Bill S-215 in the Senate. The bill had its first reading on February 18, 2020, and is currently at the second reading stage. Major speeches related to the second reading occurred on March 10 and March 12, 2020. A similar bill, C-206, has also been introduced in the House of Commons.
Bill S-215, an Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (farming exemptions), received first reading in the Senate on February 18, 2020.
On February 18, 2020, the Senate of Canada held its first reading of Bill S-215, an Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, focusing on farming exemptions. This marked the initial procedural step for the bill in the Senate. The rest of the sitting involved various Senate business, including statements on current events and past colleagues, tabling of reports, notices of motions, question period discussions on topics like rail blockades, Indigenous relations, and international trade, and ongoing debates on other bills and committee reports. No debate or discussion on the specific content or implications of Bill S-215 occurred during this first reading stage.
Bill S-215, concerning farming exemptions to the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, was being debated at the second reading stage in the Senate on March 12, 2020.
On March 12, 2020, senators debated Bill S-215, which proposes to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act to include farming exemptions. This debate occurred during the second reading stage of the bill in the Senate. The record shows that the bill was at this stage and that debates had taken place.
On March 10, 2020, the Senate began with tributes to a former colleague, followed by routine proceedings, question period, and ongoing debates on various bills and motions, including Bill S-215 regarding farming exemptions for greenhouse gas pollution pricing.
The Senate convened on March 10, 2020. The day began with tributes to the late Senator David P. Smith, with several senators sharing fond memories of his dedication to public service and his advocacy for persons with disabilities and human rights in Iran. Following tributes, routine proceedings included the tabling of various government reports and charter statements for different bills. Question Period addressed topics such as the federal fiscal deficit, assistance for refugee children, diplomatic relations with Iran, climate change assessments, protection of minors in the pornographic industry, and judicial appointments. The Senate then moved to Orders of the Day, where several bills and motions were debated or adjourned, including Bill S-215 concerning farming exemptions related to greenhouse gas pollution pricing. Other business included motions on Senate rules, various inquiries, and debates on bills related to criminal code amendments, modern slavery, electoral district names, and the Bank of Canada Act. The sitting concluded with the adjournment of debate on several items.
On March 10, 2020, the Senate held tributes for former Senator David P. Smith, debated or adjourned debates on multiple bills including Bill S-215 concerning farming exemptions for carbon pricing, and discussed various inquiries and procedural matters.
This record details a Senate sitting on March 10, 2020. A significant portion of the sitting was dedicated to tributes to the late Honourable David P. Smith, a former senator. Other proceedings included tabling of various reports and documents, question period on diverse topics, and the continuation or adjournment of debates on several bills and inquiries. Notably, the debate on Bill S-215, an Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (farming exemptions), was adjourned after its second reading sponsor's speech. The debate on Bill S-208, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (independence of the judiciary), was also adjourned after a senator spoke in support of it. Additionally, debates on other bills and inquiries, including those concerning modern slavery, electoral district name changes, rules of the Senate, the future of workers, suicide prevention, carbon emissions, and interprovincial trade, were continued or adjourned.
On March 12, 2020, the Senate held a sitting that included discussions on Francophonie Month, industry challenges, COVID-19 preparedness, and ongoing debates on proposed legislation regarding modern slavery, farming exemptions to the carbon tax, and assisted human reproduction.
This document is a record of a Senate sitting held on March 12, 2020. The sitting included Senators' Statements on topics like Francophonie Month and challenges in the beef industry. Routine Proceedings involved tabling various reports from parliamentary offices and committees. Question Period focused heavily on the developing COVID-19 situation, including international travel restrictions, airport screening, and government funding for health care. Orders of the Day included debates on Bills S-211 (Modern Slavery Act), S-215 (Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act - farming exemptions), and S-216 (Assisted Human Reproduction Act), as well as the adoption of committee reports. The sitting concluded with a motion to adjourn until March 24, 2020.
During a Senate debate on Bill S-215, Senator Robert Black argued for exemptions from the carbon tax on fuels used for farming, citing financial hardship for farmers and the need to support agricultural competitiveness.
This document records a debate in the Senate on March 12, 2020, concerning Bill S-215, an Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act. The debate focused on proposed exemptions from the carbon tax for farmers. Senator Robert Black spoke in support of the bill, highlighting the financial burdens the carbon tax places on farmers, particularly grain farmers who used additional fuel for drying crops due to a wet growing season. He explained that the bill aims to amend the definitions of "eligible farming machinery" and "qualifying farming fuel" to include more types of fuel used by farmers. The Senator argued that these exemptions are necessary to support the competitiveness of the agricultural industry and noted that the bill has support from various agricultural organizations and politicians across the country. The debate was adjourned to a later date.
Bill S-215, concerning farming exemptions for the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, has not yet reached third reading in the Senate and is currently at the second reading stage.
This artifact describes the procedural status of Bill S-215 in the Senate. The bill has not yet reached the third reading stage. It is currently at the second reading stage, with debate having occurred on March 12, 2020. The bill was first read on February 18, 2020, and had its second reading on March 10, 2020. Major speeches related to the second reading were given by Senators Diane Griffin and Robert Black.
Bill S-215, an Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act regarding farming exemptions, has undergone First Reading in the House of Commons and is currently at Second Reading in the Senate.
This record indicates that Bill S-215, concerning exemptions for farmers from the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, has reached its First Reading stage in the House of Commons but has not yet proceeded further in that chamber. The bill's current status is at Second Reading in the Senate. The official text notes that First Reading occurred on Tuesday, February 18, 2020. It also shows debate and speeches occurred during Second Reading in the Senate on March 10 and March 12, 2020.
The record shows that Bill S-215, concerning farming exemptions to the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, has not yet reached the Second Reading stage in the House of Commons, with its current progress being at the Second Reading stage in the Senate.
This artifact concerns Bill S-215, An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (farming exemptions). The record indicates that the bill has not yet reached the Second Reading stage in the House of Commons. The current status of the bill is 'At second reading in the Senate'. Information about debates and speeches in the House of Commons at this stage is not available in this artifact.
Bill S-215 has not yet reached the committee stage in the House of Commons, with its current overall status being second reading in the Senate.
This artifact describes the procedural status of Bill S-215 in the House of Commons. The bill, which aims to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act concerning farming exemptions, has not yet reached the 'Consideration in committee' stage in the House of Commons. The provided text indicates the bill's current overall status is 'At second reading in the Senate', with its latest activity being debate at second reading in the Senate on Thursday, March 12, 2020. There is also mention of a similar bill, C-206, at the second reading stage in the House of Commons.
Bill S-215, concerning farming exemptions to the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, has not yet reached the Report stage in the House of Commons, with its most recent legislative activity being debates during the second reading in the Senate.
This artifact describes the legislative process for Bill S-215, An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (farming exemptions). The bill has reached the Report stage in the House of Commons, but this stage has not yet occurred. The most recent activity noted is debate at the second reading in the Senate. The bill was introduced in the Senate on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, and had its second reading debate on Tuesday, March 10, 2020, with further speeches on Thursday, March 12, 2020. The artifact also notes a similar bill, C-206, which is at the second reading stage in the House of Commons.
Bill S-215, concerning farming exemptions under the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, has not yet reached Third Reading in the House of Commons, though its proceedings in the Senate are outlined.
This artifact describes the procedural status of Bill S-215 in the House of Commons. The bill has not yet reached the Third Reading stage in the House of Commons. The information provided details its progress in the Senate, including its current status at Second Reading and the dates of related debates and speeches.
Debate and sitting links point to official parliamentary sources when LEGISinfo publishes them. Any plain-language discussion summaries should be generated from those official texts and reviewed before public display.
Vote Summary
This bill is still active. We only show vote counts after the legislature publishes a recorded division.
No published representative vote breakdown
This bill is still moving through the process. When a recorded division is published, representative positions can be listed here.
Official sources
Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.
How this data is sourced