August 29, 2011, Victoria – Restaurateurs across British Columbia are relieved the HST debate is finally over, the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA) reported.
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 created an unlevel playing field – whether or not food is taxed depends on where it is purchased.
British Columbians 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 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,” the CRFA said in a press release.
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.
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