SMALL BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE AND PST REVIEW IN CRANBROOK

CRANBROOK – Rick Thorpe, Minister of Small Business and Revenue and Minister Responsible for Regulatory Reform, chaired consultation meetings of the Small Business Roundtable and Provincial Sales Tax Review today in Cranbrook.

“One major goal of the Small Business Roundtable is to develop a stronger partnership with small businesses in British Columbia,” said Thorpe. He noted that successful consultations were also held last week in Prince George and Kelowna. “It’s very important to me as a minister responsible for small business to hear what the concerns and issues of small business are, then to identify what government can do to work on those issues and also, as importantly, what small business can do to help itself.”

Thorpe was joined at the Small Business Roundtable consultation by East Kootenay MLA Bill Bennett. They met with representatives of the small business community in Cranbrook to discuss issues, strategies and potential actions to contribute to small business growth, reduce regulatory burden, improve customer service and optimize revenue management.

“Small businesses drive a healthy economy. We’re seeing the benefits of promoting and supporting small business here in the Kootenays, where unemployment has dropped to just 5.2 per cent and our job growth of 17.8 per cent led the entire province last year,” said Bennett. “The Small Business Roundtable is an opportunity for government to better understand the needs of small businesses in British Columbia and help build on the success we’re seeing so far by making our province the most small business friendly jurisdiction in Canada.”

The Provincial Sales Tax Review consultation took place following the roundtable session. These consultations with local small business and industry representatives are reviewing current sales tax policy and administration processes.

The purpose of the Provincial Sales Tax Review is to develop revenue-neutral options that will streamline, simplify and enhance fairness in the administration of British Columbia’s provincial sales tax.

“Many interesting ideas were brought forward to the minister at today’s meetings,” said Bruce Hryciuk, senior partner with Hryciuk Gallinger & Co., Inc. Certified General Accountants. “The small business community of Cranbrook welcomes this opportunity to meet with the minister and discuss, face-to-face, their ideas for how government and business can work more effectively together.”

Over the coming months small business roundtable meetings and provincial sales tax review consultations will occur across every region of British Columbia. For more information on how to get involved in the consultations please visit:

Provincial Sales Tax Review: www.gov.bc.ca/sbr/pstreview

Small Business Roundtable: www.smallbusinessroundtable.ca

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Media contact:	Kirk Smith Communications Director 250 387-4193

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