http://www.pstinbc.ca/media/PST_Transition_Timeline_OCT.jpg

Few years back, I remembered the times when I was able to buy clothes with only one tax, the GST. The change in tax to HST from PST and GST caused a huge debate within the citizens in British Columbia. Sales without exemptions were decreased due to the additional taxing percentages. After all these two years of getting used to HST, the government had decided to change back the taxing system to an “improved” PST system on April 1st, 2013.

The “improved” PST system includes the following: “consumers will only pay PST on those goods and services that were subject to PST before the implementation of the HST. All permanent PST exemptions will be re-implemented” says Falcon, the Finance Minister.

What are the differences noticed in the “improved” PST from the PST system that we had three to four years back? Honestly, to me, I see no difference. All the exemptions will be back to how it was like before HST came to place.

From many of the households’ perspectives, they were all shocked when they heard about the news. Asking my neighbours how they felt about the coming PST system, they replied, “Government is really just a waste of time. Why did they bother changing the tax system from PST to HST and then from HST to PST again?” I really can not understand why they would do that aside from wanting more tax from taxpayers with the use of HST.

Information from: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/05/14/bc-hst-legislation.html