Restaurants relieved HST debate over
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 26, 2011
VICTORIA – Restaurateurs across British Columbia are relieved the HST debate is finally over. Since its announcement two years ago, the HST has challenged the province’s restaurant industry. By adding a new seven per cent provincial tax to all restaurant food, the HST creates an unlevel playing field – whether or not food is taxed depends on where it is purchased.
British Columbians have rejected the HST in favour of the old PST and GST tax model. “After months of tax policy uncertainty, our members welcome the certainty and food tax fairness that comes with the HST decision. We expect that PST will be restored with the same exemptions to once again tax all food equally in British Columbia,” said Mark von Schellwitz, Western Canada Vice President of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA).
Now that the HST issue has been resolved, it is time for CRFA and the province’s restaurant industry to move on and continue working with the B.C. government to develop policies that help this important industry grow and create more jobs for British Columbians in the future.
B.C.’s $10-billion restaurant industry is the fourth-largest private-sector employer, providing 161,000 jobs in communities across the province, including 75,000 jobs for young people under the age of 25.
CRFA is one of Canada’s largest business associations, with more than 30,000 members representing restaurants, bars, caterers, institutions and other foodservice providers. CRFA works to create an environment that allows restaurant operators in every community to grow and prosper.
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