SOUND OFF: NDP finds new ways to stick it to British Columbians

MANY BRITISH COLUMBIANS are having a rough go of it financially right now. If you’re having trouble paying your bills or balking at the price at the gas pump, you’re not alone. It’s probably the worst time for the government to slap new taxes on consumers, but here we are.

On July 1, a new NDP tax on online marketplaces came into effect which will impact small businesses who pay a fee to sell their goods on sites like Amazon, eBay and even Uber Eats. There will now be taxes on that fee, which will impact their bottom line and no doubt trickle down to you, the consumer.

There are also other applications for this tax. When you order food through an app, the restaurant may pay a commission or fee. When you order on e-commerce, some of the small merchants that sell on these websites pay a placement fee or pay for advertising to the marketplace, because they want to be at the top of the list when consumers search. Or they’ll pay for services like ‘pick and pack’ and delivery to make it easier to get their products to consumers. Those fees that are paid by small businesses will be taxable now, making them less competitive and forcing them to pass that added cost down to you.

This new online marketplace tax will help the government rake in an extra $100 million in provincial revenues in the next year. It’s a way for government to collect hidden taxes at a time of rising inflation, which is the last thing people need. Even worse, if services like Meta Pay take off, they could be forced to collect tax on used goods you purchase through Facebook Marketplace. The same goes for any online marketplace provider that allows you to pay online.