The WSCA and other logging contractor associations are lobbying the government for exemptions from provincial sales taxes.
Government has provided a tax exemption on the purchase of large logging equipment for some years. But the forest contractors associations are saying this benefit, intended to stimulate the lagging sector, needs to apply across the whole board to have any real effect. Government is entertaining “cost neutral” proposals through an ongoing sales tax review.
Forest contractor associations are suggesting a possible option that the provincial sales tax be reduced across the board for all forestry operations equal to the revenues lost on just the logging equipment purchase sales tax exemption.