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MARCH 8 2013 www.burnabynewsleader.com
Local salsa dancers show off their world championship form this weekend. See Page A3
Man arrested for erratic behaviour Two officers injured Wanda Chow
wchow@burnabynewsleader.com
MARIO BARTEL/NEWSLEADER
Neil Davies of Jubilee Cycles says most customers were never aware of the exemption from provincial sales tax purchases of bikes, safety equipment and repairs they used to enjoy before the implementation of the HST. He figures they’ll be pleasantly surprised when the exemption returns in April.
PST’s return can mean good deals Mario Bartel
Bike store owners were among the HST’s most vocal opponents, Like the wheels on the bicycles as it meant an extra seven per cent his family’s shop has been selling for on purchases of bikes and gear. An almost 40 years, Neil Davies knows online petition protesting the tax everything comes around again. gathered thousands of signatures. A The most recent return is one he’s rally was organized at the provincial sure will make his customers smile. legislature in Victoria. On April 1, the Provincial Sales Shops like Davies’ Jubilee Cycles Tax is back, along with the GST, girded for a decline in business. replacing the Harmonized Sales But Davies says that never Tax that was implemented in 2010 happened. and then ditched in a referendum in That’s because most casual 2011. The good news for cyclists is cyclists were never really aware of the PST exemption on bikes, parts, the sales tax exemption—in place in safety equipment and repairs also B.C. since first 4x1.25_small_appliances_ad_final.pdf 1 1981—in 12-03-05 the 1:20 PM place. returns. So when it disappeared, they didn’t
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miss it. “Usually it’s a surprise to them,” says Davies. One that left customers back then feeling a little better about their purchases as they got to keep a few more dollars in their wallet. Davies says the return of the PST exemption is an opportunity for retailers and the provincial government to promote cycling’s health, fitness and environmental benefits while saving consumers money. “It makes sense to exempt bikes,” says Davies. “They’re green and they’re good for your health.”
Meantime, Davies and many other cycling retailers are already offering select discounts equal to the PST exemption to keep the tills ringing in the weeks leading up to its official return. • Some other items formerly exempt from PST and will be again as of April 1 include children’s clothing and footwear, books and magazines, insulation, smoke alarms, work-related safety equipment, general safety equipment like child car seats and portable fire extinguishers. Services like home renovations will also be exempt from the PST.
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Two Burnaby RCMP officers were injured Tuesday afternoon during the arrest of a man who had been behaving erratically. At about 12:30 p.m. Burnaby Mounties responded to a call of a robbery in progress at the Scotiabank in The Crest shopping centre located in the 8600block of 10th Avenue in Burnaby. “As it unfolded it became evident there was something more going on,” said Burnaby RCMP Staff Sgt. Chuck McDonald, the first officer on the scene. “His behaviour suggested that there was more going on with him than the average person and he was posing an immediate threat to the staff and customers at the bank.” McDonald said he doesn’t believe the man intended to rob the bank. He had apparently earlier been in the Pharmasave store a couple doors down, displaying erratic behaviour. “It appeared any problem had resolved itself but obviously it just transferred itself to another location,” he said. Please see MAN, A3