Return to PST should prompt tax reform, says Fraser Institute
If BC wants to reduce the negative effects that reintroducing the provincial sales tax will have on the province’s investment climate, it should consider exempting all business inputs from the PST, among other reforms, says Charles Lammam, Fraser Institute associate director of tax and budget policy research. The recommendations...
OP/ED: The Northern Oil Pipeline is 2013′s BIG Election issue
The battle lines are being drawn--maybe even purposefully manipulated--to give the Liberals at least some hope of retaining power in BC’s next provincial election. It would have seemed implausible and statistically impossible only a few weeks ago for the Liberals to have a chance, given every poll over the past year. However...
OP/ED: B.C.'s Auditor General short changed by government
It's time to give B.C.'s Auditor General the necessary financial resources and tools to do the job, according to figures released by IntegrityBC today which compared the budget of B.C.'s Auditor General with that of his counterpart in Alberta For the fiscal year 2012-13, B.C.'s Auditor General has an annual budget of $15.75...
BC doctors ratify a new four-year agreement
The provincial government said doctors have ratified a new four-year agreement that will support ongoing efforts to recruit and retain physicians, while also improving access to specialists and care in rural and remote communities. "Ensuring that families and seniors across British Columbia are able to access the care they ...
Provincial Government misses the mark: BC First Nations’ traditional territories and pristine environment not for sale
The leadership of the First Nations Summit is concerned with the approach laid out yesterday by BC on heavy oil pipelines in British Columbia. “Yesterday’s announcement clearly shows the Provincial Government is on the wrong track and does not fully understand the level of opposition or the reasons for opposition to both the...
UPDATE: State of emergency remains for Quesnel residents
The state of emergency for the City of Quesnel remains in effect until further notice. This comes after a landslide took place near Pinnacles Provincial Park, about three kilometres upstream from the mouth of the Fraser River. The risk of a flash flood remains. The creek may appear to be at a low level downstream of the slide;...
Kemano tunnel project granted amemdment
After consultation with local municipalities, the government of British Columbia today issued an amendment to its 1950 agreement, as previously amended in 1987 and 1997, with Rio Tinto Alcan under the Industrial Development Act to allow for the company to complete its Kemano Back Up Tunnel Project. Under the 2012 Amendment,...
Bring your own wine . . . to BC restaurants
Minister Rich Coleman announced today that British Columbians can now bring their own bottle of wine into participating restaurants and enjoy it with their meals. "We want to provide our restaurant industry with greater flexibility in terms of the services it can offer to its customers," said Rich Coleman, Minister responsible...
Study sets out path to protect the Rocky Mountains’ wildest area
(Canmore, AB) At a time when National and Provincial Parks increasingly are under threat, a new study released today by the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y) sets out a path to protect one of Canada’s great success stories – B.C.’s Muskwa-Kechika Management Area. Roughly the size of Ireland, the Muskwa-Kechika...
OP/ED: MLAs walk away with millions in pensions
By: Jordan Bateman, Director Canadian Taxpayers Federation With just ten months until the next provincial election, the lifeboats are starting to fill up as MLAs of both political persuasions look to leave the ship of state. That means one thing: millions of dollars in pension payouts, primarily funded by taxpayers. Dave Hayer...
