VAUXHALL, Alta. – A list of proposed user fees for Canadian Grain Commission services is scheduled for release March 1.
Assistant chief commissioner Jim Smolik told members of the Alberta Soft Wheat Producers Commission Feb. 17 that farmers will have one month to comment on the proposed fees before making recommendations to cabinet.
Smolik said the commission has a goal of cost recovery by the 2012-13 crop year.
Its fees have not increased since 1991 and do not cover the cost of services, he added.
The commission undertook a five-part consultation process that has so far included a phone survey of producers, preparation of a consultation document and consultation meetings. It also accepted 27 written submissions about fee increases.
Smolik said the commission will release information on the survey and written submissions after the proposed fee schedule is released in March.
Humphrey Banack, president of Wild Rose Agricultural Producers, told Smolik that his group and others were hard pressed to provide written submissions to the commission within the Dec. 14 to Jan. 31 window that was provided.
Smolik acknowledged the difficulty, but said the timing was affected by late harvest on the Prairies. The commission wanted to wait until harvest was complete before asking producers for submissions about the fee increases.
