Provincial sales tax on pop and other sugary drinks comes into effect today – and it’s no April Fool’s joke.
The pandemic delayed the elimination of the tax exemption but this move, supported by health professionals according to the B.C. government, is being implemented effective April 1.
Luke Lu, owner of Rainbow Market in Richmond, said he doesn’t think the five-cent tax will affect his smaller store because his customers usually just buy one or two drinks at a time.
Larger businesses, however, will probably be affected by the implementation of the PST on sugary drinks, he added, where people buy in large quantities.
A second tax comes into effect April 1 as well, on companies outside of B.C. that are selling software and telecommunications services to customers in the province if their revenue is more than $10,000.
Any Canadian online or mail-order sellers of vape products that are sold to B.C. residents will also have to collect PST.
- with files from Canadian Press
