Whistler Real Estate Listings

By Maureen Bader , January 28, 2010 Taxpayers in British Columbia are outraged about the harmonized sales tax , and rightly so. It will add a new tax to many items previously exempt from the provincial sales tax, such as restaurant meals and new homes. The HST does, however, have some theoretical benefits. It simplifies the tax system and makes the province a more competitive place for business investment. Nevertheless, the surprise HST announcement was met by a business lobbying effort demanding relief from the tax. One group that got a break was the new-home building industry. While this may help a few new-home buyers, it undermines the tax simplification benefits of the HST and does little to improve B.C.’s competitiveness. In fact, the government could have bolstered the competitiveness of the province and helped all families struggling to purchase homes by eliminating the property transfer tax instead. See also Paul R. Landry: HST will boost safety and energy effi...