What’s Taxable Under the PST & What’s Not?

During the summer of 2011, British Columbians had the opportunity to participate in a province-wide referendum on the harmonized sales tax (HST). On August 26, 2011, Elections BC announced that British Columbians had voted in favour of eliminating the HST and returning to the provincial sales tax (PST) plus federal goods and services tax (GST) system.

Following the referendum results, government committed to make the transition back to the PST/GST system as quickly and responsibly as possible. The Provincial Sales Tax Act received Royal Assent on May 31, 2012, and the PST will be re-implemented on April 1, 2013.

The re-implemented PST, like the previous PST, will be a retail sales tax that applies when a taxable good or service is acquired for personal or business use, unless a specific exemption applies.

The PST will generally apply to:

• ˜The purchase or lease of new and used goods in British Columbia unless specifically exempted; ˜ Taxable goods brought, sent or delivered into British Columbia for use in British Columbia;

˜ The purchase of:

•  Software; š

• Legal services;

• Related services (i.e., services to most taxable goods); š

• Telecommunication services.

• š Accommodation;