The Tri-City News, March 15, 2013

Page 1

THE FRIDAY

CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2012

MARCH 15, 2013

TRI-CITY NEWS CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2012

St. Patrick’s Day

See you at the movies

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Letters/A12 Your History/A23 Brian Minter/A35 Sports/A42

Businesses grapple with HST switch By Maria Spitale-Leisk THE TRI-CITY NEWS

Frustration — and, in one case, confusion — is being felt by some Tri-City business owners begrudgingly preparing to revert back to the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) system on April 1 when the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) becomes history. The Tri-City News approached a handful of small businesses in the region last weekend, and learned the general sentiment among owners is that making the switch will be complicated. However, the director of outreach for PST reimplementation says information, webinars and one-on-one consultation can help business owners sort through the confusion. “At first, people were

surprised PST was coming back. Fair enough, it’s our job to get the word out. Then we’ve been trying to get the word out and really it’s a simple task if you have to register and you go on line and if you have the information ready, it will take just ten to 15 minutes.” Still, some businesses will face an adjustment period. Sean Clark, manager of Hourglass Comics in Port Moody, still doesn’t know whether or not comics are classified as magazines and subject to both PST and the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Previously, only the 5% GST was charged on comics, but when the HST was introduced, comics were subject to the PST, too. see BUSINESSES, page 06

Concerns raised over PoMo OCP By Sarah Payne THE TRI-CITY NEWS

MARIA SPITALE-LEISK PHOTO.

Maria Livingstone, co-owner of Dandelion Kids in Port Moody’s Suter Brook Village, said changing the tax codes on her sales machines will be a hassle.

It’s just a first draft, but Port Moody’s official community plan update had some on council wondering whether it spells the beginning of the end of the city’s smalltown character. The OCP update has been in the works for the better part of a year, since construction on the Evergreen Line was confirmed, with the majority of changes planned for neighbourhoods along the route and around the

two stations. At Tuesday’s meeting, council members praised staff for incorporating wide-ranging public feedback into a cohesive plan but expressed concerns over the potential growth, particularly in Moody Centre. “I’m not comfortable with this p l a n . . . I ’ m o v e rwhelmed with the amount of density proposed,” said Coun. Diana Dilworth. “But I’m comfortable with it going to public input.” see PLAN, page 04


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