Proposed propane tank permit fees are not a “tax grab” according to the BC Safety Authority.
Quinn Newcomb, Director of Stakeholders Engagement, says their proposal for an annual fee which starts at $27 for tanks over 80 gallons is not a “tax” because they are an independent organization.
“The fees itself go directly to administering the program. So it goes to administering the operating permit, it goes to when our when our safety officers need to go out and do an assessment or an inspection and it goes to education and awareness and creating awareness amongst the public.”
Newcomb says the proposal will not impact residential owners, as it is strictly for industrial and commercial owners.
He says they are not currently invoicing for the fees as they are still working with industry and are in a consultation phase collecting data on how many tanks there are and where they’re located within the province.
“I would like to take the time to thank Minister Rich Coleman and the British Columbia Safety Authority for providing a reprieve for propane tank owners in rural British Columbia from an unfair rural tax that was to be applied in 2016. The rural tax was to be applied to all owners of tanks over 80 US water gallons starting at $38 per tank,” stated Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett in a statement issued January 29th.
“After discussions with the Canadian Propane Association through the summer of 2015, and, specifically, after a meeting with the BC Liberal Caucus on November 17, 2015, Minister Rich Coleman and the British Columbia Safety Association granted a reprieve on this unfair rural tax.
“Minister Coleman has always put the interests of British Columbians first, and his commitment to uphold the principle of tax fairness for rural British Columbians is greatly appreciated.”
On Tuesday (February 2nd) Williams Lake City Councillor, as well as owner of Best Propane, Scott Nelson says on says the Government now needs to go the full step in excluding small businesses as well.
“It not only hits residential people which they now have given a temporary hold on but it also hits the small business companies, the forestry companies, the First Nation Band offices, it has a massive target audience in rural British Columbia and I don’t think the government really recognizes what they’ve done.”
Nelson says he has been a gas fitter for 30 years and that this the first time he has ever seen an unfair tax like this brought in.
He says that he will still be bringing forth a resolution at the next regular City Council meeting which is scheduled to take place on February 9th.