Capital Report~July 24, 2009
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Premier Gordon Campbell talks to personnel at the Fire Command Centre in Kelowna about efforts to combat fires in the Okanagan.

Making Progress on Fighting Kelowna Wildfires

The Province is assisting local governments and First Nations tackle three fires in the Kelowna area, by providing staff and resources to help with firefighting, Emergency Social Services and emergency management.

Harmonized Sales Tax to Boost Investment, Job Creation

British Columbia intends to harmonize its provincial sales tax with the federal Goods and Services Tax effective July 1, 2010, to boost new business investment, improve productivity, enhance economic growth and create jobs.

  • B.C. will have the lowest Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) in Canada, by combining the seven per cent B.C. Provincial Sales Tax (PST) with the five per cent federal Goods and Services Tax (GST), for a single sales tax rate of 12 per cent.
  • It is estimated the HST will remove over $2 billion in costs for B.C. businesses, including an estimated $1.9 billion of sales tax removed from business inputs and an estimated $150 million annually in compliance costs.

Click for more information.

Province Takes Immediate Action on Taser Report

All police, sheriffs and corrections officers in B.C. have been directed to severely restrict the use of conducted energy weapons (CEWs), commonly known as Tasers, in accordance with recommendations from the Braidwood Commission.

  • Solicitor General Kash Heed issued the directive in accepting all 19 recommendations of Justice Braidwood’s report, Restoring Public Confidence – Restricting the Use of Conducted Energy Weapons in British Columbia.

Click for more information.

Governments of Canada and B.C. Invest $60m in Jobs

A $60-million commitment will help the Job Opportunities Program create immediate employment and help workers in all industry sectors and communities impacted by the economic downturn.

  • The Job Opportunities Program was first announced in May 2008 as one component of the $129-million Community Development Trust. So far, more than 6,000 workers and their families have been helped through the Trust.
  • The Government of Canada and the Province will each contribute up to $30 million toward the program.

Click for more information.

Sunday, July 26

Minister of Children and Family Development Mary Polak will be a guest on CFAX 1070’s Public Eye with Sean Holman from 8:30am to 9:00am.

Quotes This Week

“A harmonized sales tax regime will stimulate investment, bolster BC’s competitive position, and raise productivity – thus leading, over time, to higher real wages and incomes.”
Virginia Greene, president and CEO of Business Council of British Columbia. News Release, July 24, 2009.

“The point of sale rebate is substantial, minimizing paperwork for both business and customers will reduce processing, which is costly to administer for both the business and the government.”
Adele Yakemchuk, president of Prince George Chamber of Commerce. Prince George Citizen, July 24, 09.

“I got to say still a good thing for British Columbia. The savings of $1.9 billion is nothing to sneeze at, that’s extremely significant. The paper work burden that’s going to be lifted off the backs of small businesses is huge”
Brian Bonney, Canadian Federation of Independent Business. CHNL, July 23, 09.


Did You Know?

  • The lighting system on the Lions Gate Bridge will be replaced by a new LED lighting system. The new lighting will have the same appearance as the existing system but will cut the current power consumption by 90 per cent and drastically reduce the time spent each year replacing burned-out bulbs.
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  • B.C. wood products will receive celebrity treatment and nationwide exposure in Mongolia this fall when a Vancouver Island designed and pre-built home becomes the star of a prime-time show.
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  • The July 2009 land rights sale resulted in $38.3 million in bonus bids, bringing the calendar year to date total to $284.7 million. The July 15 sale offered 26 parcels covering 58,763 hectares, and sold 21 parcels covering 56,804 hectares. The average price per hectare was $675.
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