Agriculture committee  Are you wondering who we in B.C. compete with?

Agriculture committee  The greenhouse sector is quite integrated in the United States and Canada. Most of the greenhouses in the United States are owned and operated by Canadian producers. They built that way to have annual production easily from all of their different operations. Our biggest competitor would be from Mexico or from the Netherlands in different crops.

Agriculture committee  I would like to speak as well. One of the things that gets lost in this conversation is the fact that the greenhouse sector burns natural gas mainly to produce CO2. We need carbon dioxide during the day to feed the crops.

Agriculture committee  Co-gen or tri-gen are absolutely fabulous. It's not permitted in British Columbia because.... Well, it's permitted, but you can't sell the excess electricity to the grid. I know that Ontario has taken great advantage of that. We do recognize the value in B.C. Our biggest thing for greenhouses is that if we produce the CO2 on site rather than trucking it in, it's a more efficient use.

Agriculture committee  I'd like to take this one, because we're in the area I know, namely, greenhouses. A lot of the things you are mentioning or envisioning, like screens, double screens to keep the heat in, using glass that has more insulation properties, etc., they have already been adopted by most of the large commercial greenhouses, at least in British Columbia and Ontario.

Agriculture committee  That's unfortunate. We can get back to you with an answer. I can tell you what the carbon tax—

Agriculture committee  Yes.

Agriculture committee  I'm sorry, but I can't answer that either. I know about greenhouses and I know the carbon plan in B.C., which does not include the transportation of goods. I would have deferred to Aaron. It looks like he's come back, but he might not be there.

Agriculture committee  Aaron, did you hear that question?

Agriculture committee  Are you asking just for potato barns, or did you want to know—

Agriculture committee  I'm sorry, but I can't answer that. I know a lot about greenhouses but not much more. Aaron, are you able to answer that? I don't see him anymore.

Agriculture committee  Thank you, Aaron. I'll continue on. My name is Linda Delli Santi. I'm the executive director of the B.C. Greenhouse Growers' Association, and chair of the Canadian Horticultural Council, greenhouse vegetable working group. My greenhouse career started in 1982 when my husband and I built our first greenhouse.