Businesses in Duncan are receiving assistance from Ministry of Finance staff as they prepare for the return to the Provincial Sales Tax on April 1, 2013.

Ministry staff members are offering a seminar hosted by the Duncan-Cowichan Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, Nov. 27 to explain the tax and answer questions about the transition process.

Seminars on the PST will cover general principles of the tax and eTaxBC, the new e-service for online registration, return filing and payment, and account maintenance. Registration for eTaxBC begins Jan. 2, 2013.

Businesses will also be able to participate in online webinars and use services which include:

• One-on-one consultations with a ministry tax specialist - submit a request online.
• Calling a toll-free number with questions about the new PST (1 877 388-4440).
• Emailing questions to: CTBTaxQuestions@gov.bc.ca

Chambers of commerce and business associations interested in hosting seminars for members can contact the ministry at 1 877 388-4440 to discuss options.

Links to PST bulletins and notices, the online sign-up form for the one-on-one tax consultations and the federal transitional rules, along with additional information about the return to the PST, can be found in the business section of: www.PSTinBC.ca

As committed, the PST is being re-implemented on April 1, 2013, with all permanent exemptions. Consumers will again not pay PST on purchases like food, restaurant meals, bicycles, gym memberships, movie tickets and others, nor for personal services like haircuts.

Media contact:

Jamie Edwardson

Communications Director

Ministry of Finance

250 356-2821