The NDP say it is history repeating itself as they accuse the provincial government of dropping ball in making sure businesses are ready for the PST.
Finance critic Bruce Ralston says the Liberals have only themselves to blame after the BC Chamber of Commerce said businesses were scrambling ahead of the April 1st transition.
“Well the argument that the BC Liberals made was that they needed 19 months to bring back the PST. The former Minister of Finance Mr. Falcon promised that the legislation and all the regulations, because some of the exemptions are in the legislation some in regulations, would all be ready by October 2012 and we are long past October 2012.”
Ralston calls it another botched episode in the long running HST story.
“I am hoping that it will be an orderly transition and certainly that is the encouragment that…such as I can give it…I gave to [Former] Finance Minister Falcon when we debated the first round of legislation back in the Spring but based on what Mr. Winter of the BC Chamber has to say I am not that optimistic.”
The BC Chamber of Commerce says with a few months to go before the PST returns 70% of their members are either not ready, or unaware.
The province has online seminars, and a toll free number to help with the PST return.
Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade are also offering PST seminars.
The PST returns April 1st after the Harmonized Sales tax was tossed out in a provincial referendum in August of 2011.
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