share this pageTHE BC HST – THE YEAR IN REVIEW
You may have noticed as we get closer to the implementation of the HST in BC, more and more light is being shed on how it will affect the the daily lives of British Columbians. Many things have been revealed, showing how important of an issue this tax is. Let’s take a brief look at some of the things that have happened over the past 7 months.
- July 23, 2009 the BC government announced, after pressure from the federal government, that it will be following in the footsteps of other provinces such as Ontario and New Brunswick with the adoption of a Harmonized Sales Tax.
- Within days of the announcement there was public outcry as it had only been a few weeks previous t when the Minister of Finance, Colin Hansen, during the 2009 provincial elections stated the HST was not on the BC Liberals radar.
- A Toronto Dominion report on the HST released September 18thconfirms the proposed tax as a huge tax shift from businesses to consumers.
- September19th saw 15 anti HST rallies across the province. All of which were part of a movement against HST being led by former BC premier Bill Vander Zalm. The largest of the rallies was outside the Vancouver Convention Centre where 2000 people protested the proposed tax.
- In November the B.C.Association of School Finance Officials announced school districts will have a$ 24 million increase of annual operating costs and a $ 14.7 million annual capital spending costs as direct result of the HST.
- Results from an Ipsos Reid poll released in December show an overwhelming number of British Columbians against the HST; 82 percent to be exact!
What we have learnt may only be the tip of the iceberg. As we get closer to July 1stwe will see a little more clearly as to how our lives will be affected by this tax.
Check in on BC HST blog to see what the rest of the province is saying and keep up to date with what’s new.
Forward the below link to anyone youknow who may have an opinion.
