bylaw debte
selkirk secondary
signs in cranbrook
Principal’s report
ThursDAY
December 6, 2012
What’s happening at the high school this month.
Our neighbours to the south discuss new bylaw.
SeeLOCAL NEWS page 3
See LOCAL NEWS page 4
The Bulletin
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Proudly serving kimberley and area since 1932 | Vol. 79, Issue XX | www.dailybulletin.ca
$ 10 INCLUDES h.s.t.
tax policy
Heading back to the PST
Resources available to assist businesses make tax transition CAROLYN GRANT bulletin@cyberlink.ca
Mike Turner photo
At 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 5, 2012, Cranbrook RCMP and East Kootenay Traffic Services responded to a two vehicle collision about 5 km south of Cranbrook on highway 3/95. A northbound white mini-van crossed the center of the road on icy conditions and struck head on with a southbound dumptruck. The driver of the min-van received minor injuries where as the passenger was trapped in the vehicle and died on scene. The deceased is a 52 year old female from Creston, BC. The driver of the dump truck was not injured. Early investigations reveal that speeding relative to the road conditions was a factor in this collision.
Be prepared for road checks RCMP will be conducting extra checkstops CAROLYN GRANT bulletin@cyberlink.ca
While Christmas day is still several weeks away, the Christmas season itself is
upon us. That means office parties and visiting friends and neighbours. That also means there will be an increased awareness by police and increased check stops to check for impaired drivers. BC has tough impaired driving laws and stats do indicate that has saved lives.
The province estimates 104 lives have been saved since the immediate roadside prohibition (IRP) system took effect in September 2010. There are peak times when RCMP focus on impaired driving, such as long weekends and the Christmas season, though it is on the
minds of members at all times. “RCMP conduct road checks throughout the year. The focus of these checks is impaired drivers although we look for other infractions and offences as well,” said Cpl. Chris Newel of the Kimberley RCMP.
See ROAD CHECKS Page 5
The provincial NDP say that the time it has taken to re-implement the PST is ridiculous; and the BC Liberals say they have moved through a very complex process as quickly as possible. But while the politicians argue the timeline, the fact is that on April 1, 2013, the HST will be gone and the former PST system will return. For consumers the transition will be simple, and for most, less expensive, as all previous exemptions under the PST (which were subject to HST) will return. Consumers will once again not pay PST on purchases like food, restaurant meals, bicycles, gym memberships, movie tickets, and others, nor for personal services like haircuts. Locally, it will mean buyers no longer have to pay HST on resort homes, something which local real estate agents had lobbied heavily against. Tourism operators such as golf courses, rafting companies and ski hills will no longer have to charge HST, something the industry had maintained was hurting the bottom line, especially in regions close to the Alberta border such as the East
Kootenay. For business however, the provincial government always maintained that the HST was simpler and a time-saver. While all exemptions etc. return for consumers, the provincial government is tweaking the legislation that returns British Columbia to the former PST system to make it more simple and convenient for business. New measures to improve the PST include: • New online access for businesses, including the ability to register, update their account, and make payments. • The due date for tax remittance and returns for monthly filers will be moved to the last day of the month to match GST remittance, simplifying administration for business. • The Hotel Room Tax (eight per cent, as it was before July 2010) will now be incorporated into the PST—no more separate registration, remittance or returns, reducing paperwork. • Businesses can register with their federal business number, making registration easier.
MINI MARKETS AT TAMARACK CENTRE Across from the Gift Wrapping Station.
SATURDAY December 8th, 15th & 22nd, 11am – 5pm
SUNDAY December 9th, 16th & 23rd 12pm – 5pm
See PST , Page 3