Councillors here are ready to endorse councillor Wayne Martin’s motion asking the province to exempt all minor Sports ice time and park rentals from the proposed HST.
As Martin read the resolution, he noted Perth-Wellington MPP?John Wilkinson will be presented the request for consideration.
Martin said in his research on the issue he contacted the Western Ontario Athletic Association, part of the Ontario minor Sports association. As a result, Martin said the issue is reaching the provincial level.
As a result of his efforts to re-qualify himself as a coach, Marin has had a chance to talk to members of the community about the impact the HST?would have.
“I know what the amounts are,” he said. “When minor hockey teams step onto the ice next year, that 8% is going to make a significant difference to the kids who play. Therefore I think Minto needs to support this.”
Martin also noted the province is starting to exempt different items now that more information is coming in.
“We need to enforce that it is a big hit on Minto Minor Hockey,” he said.
Deputy Mayor Judy Dirksen remain curious as to whether GST should be charged on minor Sports. She said her understanding was if something was not GST?chargeable now, it would not be so later.
Treasurer Gord Duff said the difference is that applies to programs offered directly by the municipality if they are directed to children under 14 years of age.
He said the GST?would not apply to something such as a town-operated day camp program.
“If we ran the league and everything, there would be no GST,” he said.
Duff added one thing the organization could do is register, and as a result get the GST back – but they would still need to charge the fee to parents, “So indirectly, the parents are going to end up paying more.”
Martin said the other item that needs to be recognized is HST?on the ice time will just be one item faced by Sports groups. He said the new tax will apply on a wide range of items, from sweaters to supplies, and “it can quickly become a big ticket item.”
Martin said he wanted to see the town keep bringing that forward. Council subsequently endorsed the resolution.
