Businesses slowly coming to grips with PST transition
Thousands of business, including many in the Tri-Cities, have yet to register for the new Provincial Sales Tax even though the deadline is just weeks away.
By it hasn't been for lack of trying. In the last several weeks, PST outreach has ramped up with dozens of webinars, information bulletins and one on one consultations, but only about half, or 51,000 business, have signed up.
"What has happened is the business people are busy and they are concentrating on their sales and they say 'this isn't coming until April, I don't need to do anything' and now it's getting close to April — now is the time to act," said Dave Longman, the project director for PST re-implementation, .
On April 1, Harmonized Sales Tax will be replaced by the 7% Provincial Sales Tax and the Goods and Services Tax of 5%, essentially reverting back to the sales tax regime that existed prior to 2010. A comprehensive website is available for business owners, and the federal government has information on the return to GST.
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