Back to PST: Help on the way
To help Island businesses wrap their heads around the move back to the provincial sales tax, B.C.’s Ministry of Finance is offering a series of seminars to make the transition as painless as possible.
The seminars, held in partnership with chambers of commerce, will cover the general principles of the PST and the new eTaxBC online business registration service.
The seminars are scheduled for:
• Victoria on Monday at the Coast Harbourside Hotel, from 1 and 3 p.m
• Tuesday in Nanaimo
• Wednesday in Campbell River
• Thursday in Ladysmith and Chemainus
Similar seminars will be held in 40 communities around the province and will cover such topics as registration, filing requirements and administrative changes that businesses will need to know before the PST replaces the HST on April 1.
The Ministry of Finance will provide “outreach team leaders” as keynote speakers for each seminar and questions will be fielded for the final hour.
The ministry is still finalizing the regulations and details around the PST that will be introduced to the legislature this month before being ratified by government.
Prior to the final vote these drafts and guidelines have been released to assist businesses in implementing their plans for the April 1 tax rollout.
A draft of the Provincial Sales Tax Statute is available online at sbr.gov.bc.ca.
Dine Around starts Feb. 21
Dine Around and Stay in Town kicks off around Victoria Feb. 21 and runs through March 10.
The annual event, which encourages locals and visitors alike to get out to try new restaurants and hotels in the city is entering its 13th year and drives traffic to the businesses at the slowest time of year.
Participating Victoria restaurants offer select three-course menus for $20, $30 or $40 per person. Many hotels offer rooms during the event with rates of $79, $99 and $129.
Lizzy Lee tough on bullying
Lizzy Lee & Me Salon in Shelbourne Plaza will host an anti-bullying cut-a-thon Feb. 27 from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Staff will wear pink and do haircuts by donation — they suggest $5 per bang trim and $10 for a cut — for both children and adults, with the proceeds going to Pink Shirt Day 2013, which benefits the CKNW Orphan’s Fund and Boys and Girls Clubs.
The salon will also be doing nails, party do’s, mini-manicures and glitter tattoos, all by donation.
— Times Colonist
© Copyright 2013
