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Post by WettCoast on Apr 17, 2013 14:51:58 GMT -8
I am going to, very quickly, defend the infrastructure spending in Metro Vancouver, as a Metro resident. Before any of the projects you mentioned, the last large infrastructure upgrade took place in 1985, as the completion of the Alex Fraser Bridge. Besides the Millennium Line (which, at the time of construction, was a nearly useless piece of infrastructure, due to the sheer nature of it's execution, on part of Glen Clarke), Metro saw very little investment. Meanwhile, Vancouver Island received a new freeway, Nanaimo bypass, and four new ferries (three of which were deemed unfit for service and subsequently sold off, in what was probably the biggest boondoggle in BC Ferries history). The last investments we saw on Vancouver Island took place in 2006, with the construction of three new major ferries. We still have a major highway bridge, built in 1937, with lane widths 60 cm below the provincial standard. We still have the busiest bus route in North America, with ridership numbers that exceed the Canada and Millennium Lines. We still have the highest traffic fatality rates in the province. The investments in Metro cannot end here, I'm afraid. Disclaimer so I don't get thrown to the wolves: I don't support the Liberals. I also think that southern Vancouver Island's infrastructure sucks (including the now non-existent passenger rail service), along with a lot of other infrastructure here in Metro, including the items I just mentioned, and most other highways in the province. I can to some extent agree with you in that the Lower Mainland was (and remains) in need of transportation infrastructure upgrades. But I have to take issue with a few things that you have said: The biggest boondoggle in BC Ferries history was without doubt the ideologically driven decision to privatize the service (creating the BCFS slug company) and allow ferry tariffs to escalate at a rate far exceeding the rate of inflation, and to allow service to deteriorate (not withstanding that we now have improved gift shops and allegedly cleaner wash rooms). Those are not freeways - freeways don't have traffic lights. Highway 1 from Horseshoe Bay to Chilliwack is a 'freeway'. I think that is a bit of a stretch to say that this is an investment in infrastructure for the Island. These new vessels simply replaced older vessels. The fact is that there are fewer sailings on the major routes today then there was 12 years ago, and those sailings are much less affordable.
It is also worth noting that the Lower Mainland has also received the lion's share of other major (non-transportation) project spending such as the stadium roof and convention centre.
I expect the next government to spread the spending around and NOT to favour regions that voted the 'right way'.
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Post by Curtis on Apr 17, 2013 15:00:11 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2013 15:05:29 GMT -8
I am going to, very quickly, defend the infrastructure spending in Metro Vancouver, as a Metro resident. Before any of the projects you mentioned, the last large infrastructure upgrade took place in 1985, as the completion of the Alex Fraser Bridge. Besides the Millennium Line (which, at the time of construction, was a nearly useless piece of infrastructure, due to the sheer nature of it's execution, on part of Glen Clarke), Metro saw very little investment. Meanwhile, Vancouver Island received a new freeway, Nanaimo bypass, and four new ferries (three of which were deemed unfit for service and subsequently sold off, in what was probably the biggest boondoggle in BC Ferries history). The last investments we saw on Vancouver Island took place in 2006, with the construction of three new major ferries. We still have a major highway bridge, built in 1937, with lane widths 60 cm below the provincial standard. We still have the busiest bus route in North America, with ridership numbers that exceed the Canada and Millennium Lines. We still have the highest traffic fatality rates in the province. The investments in Metro cannot end here, I'm afraid. Disclaimer so I don't get thrown to the wolves: I don't support the Liberals. I also think that southern Vancouver Island's infrastructure sucks (including the now non-existent passenger rail service), along with a lot of other infrastructure here in Metro, including the items I just mentioned, and most other highways in the province. I agree with Jim here. The inland island highway has a high crash rate due to these traffic lights and the 110km/hr speed limit. The Coastals aren't really an improvement, either. Perhaps if Translink (another wonderful Liberal creation) was scrapped there would be better fiscal management of the transportation system, the system would have its priorities straight. I'm quite surprised that the Evergreen Line gets priority over the Surrey Extension, let alone the Broadway Corridor. Keep in mind that every city in this country is in need of infrastructure upgrades. It's not a problem unique to Metro Vancouver. Some of Montreal's bridges & viaducts are crumbling (result of overbuilding in the 1960s), and Winnipeg is in a similar situation as well I believe. I disagree with Mr Coulson that Vancouver has recieved "very little investment" - the projects that Jim mentioned are quite large and have been taking place since the early millenium. One project that hasn't been mentioned is the Capilano Bridge/Interchange Replacement which was completed 2 years ago. This project cost upwards of a hundred million dollard I believe. Does Metro really need a new major project every 5 years?
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Post by Mike C on Apr 17, 2013 15:29:04 GMT -8
I promised to respond to this in more detail, so here it is: I agree with Jim here. The inland island highway has a high crash rate due to these traffic lights and the 110km/hr speed limit. Not sure how this has to do with it not being an investment... The Coastals aren't really an improvement, either. Still an investment. If platform decks are added, then it will be an improvement in capacity. Perhaps if Translink (another wonderful Liberal creation) TransLink is a product of the NDP from 1999. ...was scrapped there would be better fiscal management of the transportation system, the system would have its priorities straight. I'm quite surprised that the Evergreen Line gets priority over the Surrey Extension, let alone the Broadway Corridor. The reason the Evergreen Line has taken priority is because it was a mismanaged project handled by the NDP in the late 90's. The original routing of the Millennium Line was supposed to go to Coquitlam, however the project was diverted, due to Glen Clarke having interests in his own riding. What resulted was a transit infrastructure gong show in the Tri-Cities, and a revised SkyTrain line, whose ridership is exceeded by several bus routes. Keep in mind that every city in this country is in need of infrastructure upgrades. It's not a problem unique to Metro Vancouver. Some of Montreal's bridges & viaducts are crumbling (result of overbuilding in the 1960s), and Winnipeg is in a similar situation as well I believe. It doesn't matter if it's unique or not. Safety hazards happen everywhere too. Largely overbuilt infrastructure from the 50's, 60's and 70's are proving to be issues in every North American CMA. These CMAs are economic drivers for the provinces, and the maintenance/upgrade costs are necessary. I disagree with Mr Coulson that Vancouver has recieved "very little investment" - the projects that Jim mentioned are quite large and have been taking place since the early millenium. One project that hasn't been mentioned is the Capilano Bridge/Interchange Replacement which was completed 2 years ago. This project cost upwards of a hundred million dollard I believe. Does Metro really need a new major project every 5 years? You're misquoting me. I said that we had not received major infrastructure replacements/improvements since the mid-80's, we needed the investment. You cannot operate a province without investing in your CMAs. Major investments are required on a regular basis, that's how cities work. Without functional infrastructure, there is no economy. The Capilano Bridge project was not a major project, but received a high profile, simply because it was in a high traffic environment. Projects like it are carried out throughout the province regularly (e.g. Nimpkish River Bridge).
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mrdot
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Post by mrdot on Apr 17, 2013 15:48:48 GMT -8
:)with the start of what we used to call 'silly season' it seems that the old 'black top pollitics' are now going to be 'ferry politics', and I just hope we remember that the world of five dollars car, and two dollars passenger are long gone, we have to remember that my seaman's wage was three hundred a month,and that was good monney back then, and our first two ferries came in at three million, we can,t even paint them for that much now adays. who ever wins this time around will not be able to shovel money off the back of the truck! mrdot.
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Post by WettCoast on Apr 17, 2013 16:11:18 GMT -8
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Apr 17, 2013 17:45:09 GMT -8
I heard on Global News that the NDP will freeze ferry fares for two years and review the company finances. Hopefully this leads to both parties fixing BC ferries financial issues.
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Post by Mike C on Apr 17, 2013 23:48:55 GMT -8
If no major party wants to take the initiative to address this, I simply won't vote. I found this to be an incredibly arrogant sentence. You live in a free and democratic society, and are EXTREMELY lucky to have the privilege of electing a leader in a fair and honest way. You are not making a statement by not voting, you only make a fool of yourself. It just means that every time you complain about government for the next four years, I am going to remind you that you had the opportunity to make your voice heard, and you chose not to. /endrant.
The biggest boondoggle in BC Ferries history was without doubt the ideologically driven decision to privatize the service (creating the BCFS slug company) and allow ferry tariffs to escalate at a rate far exceeding the rate of inflation, and to allow service to deteriorate (not withstanding that we now have improved gift shops and allegedly cleaner wash rooms). I meant this in reference to specific projects, not a change in policy. All things considered, you're absolutely right, this policy was a failure and a rollercoaster for British Columbia. Those are not freeways - freeways don't have traffic lights. Highway 1 from Horseshoe Bay to Chilliwack is a 'freeway'. Yes, you would be technically correct, it is a highway. Splitting hairs though, IMO... I think that is a bit of a stretch to say that this is an investment in infrastructure for the Island. These new vessels simply replaced older vessels. It might not have been a service expansion (it will be if platform decks are added), but it was an investment nonetheless - those ferries weren't free. I do wish they all had a buffet though... It is also worth noting that the Lower Mainland has also received the lion's share of other major (non-transportation) project spending such as the stadium roof and convention centre. This is very true. Vancouver Island does not really have these facilities, which is unfortunate. I expect the next government to spread the spending around and NOT to favour regions that voted the 'right way'. Fun note: the names on SkyTrain cars? Those were names chosen by the NDP, of cities in ridings that voted NDP They have their ways. The Liberals just have a far more extreme, and unfair, approach.
Just as an aside: I have recently thought that the provincial mass transportation system would work well as an entire integrated network (e.g. things like ferries timed with bus/rail connections, and having your ferry fare valid on transit and vice-versa, etc). I also think that if planning for this network took place at the community level, rather than a seemingly unnaccountable corporate level (i.e. at fleethouse), then things would function more effectively. Oh well, a man can dream...
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Post by compdude787 on Apr 18, 2013 10:08:47 GMT -8
I found this to be an incredibly arrogant sentence. You live in a free and democratic society, and are EXTREMELY lucky to have the privilege of electing a leader in a fair and honest way. You are not making a statement by not voting, you only make a fool of yourself. It just means that every time you complain about government for the next four years, I am going to remind you that you had the opportunity to make your voice heard, and you chose not to. /endrant. I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. By not voting you are not making much of a statement. You make a bigger statement by voting and therefore voicing your opinions. And you can make an even bigger statement by sending a letter to local representative about an issue that you really want them to address. Just as an aside: I have recently thought that the provincial mass transportation system would work well as an entire integrated network (e.g. things like ferries timed with bus/rail connections, and having your ferry fare valid on transit and vice-versa, etc). I also think that if planning for this network took place at the community level, rather than a seemingly unnaccountable corporate level (i.e. at fleethouse), then things would function more effectively. I think WSF has done a really good job of integrating the transit and ferry system. After all, since the routes are much shorter, they rely much more on commuter traffic and not so much on trucks and tourists. (though those are really important to WSF, too, especially in the San Juans and Edmonds-Kingston) And many Puget Sound transit agencies, including WSF, use the Orca card. That stands for " One Regional Card for All," and can be used on buses, trains, and ferries. It's pretty nice.
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mrdot
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Post by mrdot on Apr 18, 2013 10:27:33 GMT -8
Brian Lewis is a retired Province columnist and vacations on Saturna Island
Read more: www.theprovince.com/news/Liberals+ducking+Ferries/8220578/story.html#ixzz2Q8L0uVJn
When the election weeks come and the thousands of false promises will be made about taxes, transit (ferries), environment and you get the picture (everything else). It is not ‘what can I do for you’, more ‘what can we promise, then change our minds because it just not work for us’
The best way to get better service is: reduce government waste and/or raise taxes<o:p></o:p>
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Neil
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Post by Neil on Apr 19, 2013 11:29:31 GMT -8
If they're being honest, I suspect that every member of this forum who doesn't vote will say it is a matter of choice, and not because they don't know how.
Adrian Dix is being criticized in some quarters for his pledge to freeze ferry fares for two years. I think it's actually an essential move.
There is a tremendous need to change the whole narrative around BC Ferries, and I think that has to start with a fare freeze. There is a general perception that taking the ferry anywhere is too expensive, and so people are doing other things with their discretionary travel dollars. If fares are held steady for a while, the public mindset may well shift, and traffic might increase. At the very least, coastal communities will get a break in their own essential travel costs.
The Liberals have countered with the assertion that the planned fare hikes would bring in tens of millions of dollars of new revenue. That hasn't worked in the past, so why would it work now? But this logic is not surprising coming from a party which is promising at election time to eliminate the provincial debt, after causing it to increase substantially during their time in office.
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Mayne
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Post by Mayne on Apr 19, 2013 19:21:36 GMT -8
If they're being honest, I suspect that every member of this forum who doesn't vote will say it is a matter of choice, and not because they don't know how. Adrian Dix is being criticized in some quarters for his pledge to freeze ferry fares for two years. I think it's actually an essential move. There is a tremendous need to change the whole narrative around BC Ferries, and I think that has to start with a fare freeze. There is a general perception that taking the ferry anywhere is too expensive, and so people are doing other things with their discretionary travel dollars. If fares are held steady for a while, the public mindset may well shift, and traffic might increase. At the very least, coastal communities will get a break in their own essential travel costs. The Liberals have countered with the assertion that the planned fare hikes would bring in tens of millions of dollars of new revenue. That hasn't worked in the past, so why would it work now? But this logic is not surprising coming from a party which is promising at election time to eliminate the provincial debt, after causing it to increase substantially during their time in office. I must start with the statement that I am not trying to promote the Liberals at all. I disagree with the the freezing of fairs. (not that its a bad thing) But its not actually showing how the NDP is going to deal with BC ferries. At the point our system is now in I see more or less two core options and three sub options. Eliminate This quasi private corporation or leave it "private" but the government keep there fingers out. And after that has been decided ether increase subsidy to the system, increase fairs or cut service. I have yet to see the NDP show what they are going to do in several cases of this election, lots of talk but little to no detail, or they want to review, audit and or evaluate crown corps. I am sorry but from past history all freezing costs does is make for a larger increase after the freeze is over rather then several smaller increases. Not that we need to pay more I just think we need to hear more of a plan from Dix then the just freeze and look into it after the election. I need to hear more detail then that.
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Post by DENelson83 on Apr 19, 2013 21:26:10 GMT -8
I disagree with the the freezing of fairs. (not that its a bad thing) But its not actually showing how the NDP is going to deal with BC ferries. At the point our system is now in I see more or less two core options and three sub options. Eliminate This quasi private corporation or leave it "private" but the government keep there fingers out. And after that has been decided ether increase subsidy to the system, increase fairs or cut service. Sorry, but increasing fares is an absolute deal-breaker. People on the Islands will get closer to rioting if the fares continue to go up, and Vancouver Island will, as I have reiterated, get closer to separating from British Columbia. The farebox is absolutely not the best way to finance the ferry system, because eventually people will just stop using the ferries altogether, citing prohibitively high costs, and all of those Island communities will end up becoming ghost towns.
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Neil
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Post by Neil on Apr 19, 2013 21:32:35 GMT -8
. I disagree with the the freezing of fairs. (not that its a bad thing) But its not actually showing how the NDP is going to deal with BC ferries. At the point our system is now in I see more or less two core options and three sub options. Eliminate This quasi private corporation or leave it "private" but the government keep there fingers out. And after that has been decided ether increase subsidy to the system, increase fairs or cut service. I have yet to see the NDP show what they are going to do in several cases of this election, lots of talk but little to no detail, or they want to review, audit and or evaluate crown corps. I am sorry but from past history all freezing costs does is make for a larger increase after the freeze is over rather then several smaller increases. Not that we need to pay more I just think we need to hear more of a plan from Dix then the just freeze and look into it after the election. I need to hear more detail then that. Adrian Dix is not suggesting that this is the ultimate answer to the issues involving BC Ferries. This is a starting point. It is what needs to be done right now. He is proposing an audit of BC Ferries' operations, and hopefully, an examination of the governance model. It is not a given- despite what you suggest- that fares will eventually rise to make up for this freeze. We need an in depth look at what the ferry system means to coastal communities, and we need to examine why we want BC Ferries to return more from the farebox than what we demand from land based transit systems. We need a comprehensive evaluation of our public transportation systems, and hopefully that will occur with a change of government. This is just a start.
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Mayne
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Post by Mayne on Apr 19, 2013 21:51:24 GMT -8
I disagree with the the freezing of fairs. (not that its a bad thing) But its not actually showing how the NDP is going to deal with BC ferries. At the point our system is now in I see more or less two core options and three sub options. Eliminate This quasi private corporation or leave it "private" but the government keep there fingers out. And after that has been decided ether increase subsidy to the system, increase fairs or cut service. Sorry, but increasing fares is an absolute deal-breaker. People on the Islands will get closer to rioting if the fares continue to go up, and Vancouver Island will, as I have reiterated, get closer to separating from British Columbia. The farebox is absolutely not the best way to finance the ferry system, because eventually people will just stop using the ferries altogether, citing prohibitively high costs, and all of those Island communities will end up becoming ghost towns. Everyone here knows that increasing fares has caused ridership to go down and I am not saying I want or feel that increasing fares is the way to go I was just pointing out one of the only ways to increase revenue.
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Mayne
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Post by Mayne on Apr 19, 2013 22:12:09 GMT -8
. I disagree with the the freezing of fairs. (not that its a bad thing) But its not actually showing how the NDP is going to deal with BC ferries. At the point our system is now in I see more or less two core options and three sub options. Eliminate This quasi private corporation or leave it "private" but the government keep there fingers out. And after that has been decided ether increase subsidy to the system, increase fairs or cut service. I have yet to see the NDP show what they are going to do in several cases of this election, lots of talk but little to no detail, or they want to review, audit and or evaluate crown corps. I am sorry but from past history all freezing costs does is make for a larger increase after the freeze is over rather then several smaller increases. Not that we need to pay more I just think we need to hear more of a plan from Dix then the just freeze and look into it after the election. I need to hear more detail then that. Adrian Dix is not suggesting that this is the ultimate answer to the issues involving BC Ferries. This is a starting point. It is what needs to be done right now. He is proposing an audit of BC Ferries' operations, and hopefully, an examination of the governance model. It is not a given- despite what you suggest- that fares will eventually rise to make up for this freeze. We need an in depth look at what the ferry system means to coastal communities, and we need to examine why we want BC Ferries to return more from the farebox than what we demand from land based transit systems. We need a comprehensive evaluation of our public transportation systems, and hopefully that will occur with a change of government. This is just a start. Neil I do agree with you on the idea of return from farebox like our land based system. One of my issues is Glen Clark promised to freeze several things in 1998 and did, but that turned in to large increases after the freeze was gone. I do feel there are lots of inefficiencies that can probably be improved in BC Ferries, but really tens of millions of dollars worth? Sorry I just have a problem with not only a political party but anyone saying trust me, after I look at (BC ferries, Translink exc) I will do whatever is best. This is just not good enough for me. People need to earn my trust for me to be leave in what they are trying to sell me. Anyone can look like the best candidate if they pick out most of the major issues and say we will keep it the way things are now and after you vote us in we will look in to it and trust us, we will make it better.
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Post by dofd on Apr 19, 2013 22:14:53 GMT -8
Well, with the HST repayment back to Canada, we will be lucky to buy anything out of debt.
I know people here hate the HST. Well, if the biggest market (the lakes) in Canada could do it. Well, are we back water? I would have to think yes.
Sorry this was not a HST fan fare. Just a thought.
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Post by Mike C on Apr 19, 2013 22:34:53 GMT -8
I've been enjoying the discussion here this evening. A few notes: The Liberals have been shockingly deceptive at the real state of the province's coffers these past couple of months. I get the feeling that we're going to hear some bad news about our "debt-free budget" shortly after May 14. This has made it difficult (as Neil rightly pointed earlier) for the party coming into power to be specific as to the measures they would implement to find a solution. The NDP are making incredibly broad strokes - they have promised to review like 75% of the government, but haven't really offered much in the way of productive solutions to the issues that this province faces. As I said earlier, this is likely to do with the lack of information that has been made available about the province's finances. The problem I have with this, is that these expensive reviews very rarely result in solutions (take a look at all of the reviews and audits on TransLink over the years, and the only thing that resulted in was a few more buses being sent to the scrap heap). One can only hope that the incoming government will actually do something about the things that don't work. It's also worth noting that this is extremely typical of every provincial election - we never know, until the end of the proceeding 365 days that follow the election, so what comes of this remains to be seen. DENelson83, I have found your comments to be pretty exaggerated and dramatic - you may want to tone it down a bit. I don't think VI is breaking away from the province anytime soon.
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Post by Political Incorrectness on Apr 19, 2013 23:34:13 GMT -8
Sorry, but increasing fares is an absolute deal-breaker. People on the Islands will get closer to rioting if the fares continue to go up, and Vancouver Island will, as I have reiterated, get closer to separating from British Columbia. The farebox is absolutely not the best way to finance the ferry system, because eventually people will just stop using the ferries altogether, citing prohibitively high costs, and all of those Island communities will end up becoming ghost towns. Everyone here knows that increasing fares has caused ridership to go down and I am not saying I want or feel that increasing fares is the way to go I was just pointing out one of the only ways to increase revenue. Not necessarily. It could increase revenue if ridership stayed the same, however, if ridership went down a certain amount, then it would be neutral if not negative. You are playing with the dice on that one. From what I have heard and seen, the fare level is currently unsustainable. I heard Route 30 was making a profit for the longest time, now it is running at a loss. When it costs more to get from Hornby-Vancouver Island than from Duke Point-Tsawwassen, there are two major issues right there. The most efficient level of revenue needs to be found where there is still sufficient demand but not to the point of endless fare increases.
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Post by compdude787 on Apr 20, 2013 11:01:15 GMT -8
Well, with the HST repayment back to Canada, we will be lucky to buy anything out of debt. I know people here hate the HST. Well, if the biggest market (the lakes) in Canada could do it. Well, are we back water? I would have to think yes. Sorry this was not a HST fan fare. Just a thought. I don't live in BC, so I don't know what "HST" means. Could you please explain what that means?
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Mill Bay
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Post by Mill Bay on Apr 20, 2013 11:05:17 GMT -8
Well, with the HST repayment back to Canada, we will be lucky to buy anything out of debt. I know people here hate the HST. Well, if the biggest market (the lakes) in Canada could do it. Well, are we back water? I would have to think yes. Sorry this was not a HST fan fare. Just a thought. I don't live in BC, so I don't know what "HST" means. Could you please explain what that means? Think of any derogatory name for a goods and services tax that uses those initials, and that's what the HST was.
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Post by Mike C on Apr 20, 2013 11:26:16 GMT -8
Well, with the HST repayment back to Canada, we will be lucky to buy anything out of debt. I know people here hate the HST. Well, if the biggest market (the lakes) in Canada could do it. Well, are we back water? I would have to think yes. Sorry this was not a HST fan fare. Just a thought. I don't live in BC, so I don't know what "HST" means. Could you please explain what that means? The HST was the Harmonized Sales Tax - the premise was to combine the Provincial Sales Tax (7%) and the Goods and Services Tax (Federal) (5%) into one Harmonized Sales Tax of 12%. The opposition that arose from this surrounded an increased cost of goods (since PST and GST were applied separately in some instances), resulting in a referendum which saw the HST repealed.
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Post by compdude787 on Apr 20, 2013 11:46:31 GMT -8
Okay thanks for the information.
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Post by Northern Exploration on Apr 21, 2013 11:06:10 GMT -8
I don't live in BC, so I don't know what "HST" means. Could you please explain what that means? The HST was the Harmonized Sales Tax - the premise was to combine the Provincial Sales Tax (7%) and the Goods and Services Tax (Federal) (5%) into one Harmonized Sales Tax of 12%. The opposition that arose from this surrounded an increased cost of goods (since PST and GST were applied separately in some instances), resulting in a referendum which saw the HST repealed. HST wasn't the hot potato here that it became in BC. Businesses, especially small Mom and Pop type, and restaurants etc. really like having to cut just one cheque and track one tax. So it helps those categories of business a lot. They employ a lot of people in total and are usually the most sensitive to time constraints imposed by reporting and paperwork. Bigger companies I think enjoy the help but since they have more resources, notice the improvement much less. The public pays no attention now at all. The electorate made their choice in BC, paid to implement the HST then paid to unravel it and go back. To my non-impassioned opinion sounds like a waste of money, but it wasn't my money . One thing for sure, for charities that get back a portion of the taxes paid, the cheques take an eon of time to get sent back. Up to six months after the time period of the refund. Quick to enact penalties for late payment but very slow to give back.
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Post by Dane on Apr 21, 2013 11:49:20 GMT -8
HST is only a hot potato in BC because the party that won the election had said they wouldn't bring it in, and then did something like less than a month I to their mandate. Thus:
- they either didn't spend time studying the tax as one would expect, or they lied during the election; and - taxation without representation is at the heart of why western democracy formed as it is today. The Liberals violated this.
There are many people like me that support HST as a taxation system, but voted against it because of the dishonest and antidemocratic manner in which it was brought to BC.
All they needed to do was get some glossy full colour ads in the papers for a few weeks, have some public consultations where they'd pretend to listen and the opposition would have been a lot less I am absolutely certain.
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On topic of ferries, I will say that I have seen a mention of some sort every day since the writ dropped so attention is certainly being paid. What I haven't seen is the NDP's tame on the faux business model of the current BCFS and whether they'd make the system a crown corporation again.
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