Staff
A free seminar to prepare small businesses for the proposed implementation of the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) in July has been scheduled for next Wednesday evening (Feb. 10) at the Rainy River Future Development Corp. office (608 Scott St.)
Because the HST will apply to all businesses, the seminar may prove to be very popular and so those interested in attending should sign up as soon as possible, RRFDC business investment officer Angela Halvorsen said yesterday.
Call 274-3276 to register.
Halvorsen noted the Northwest Business Centre, which is holding similar seminars in Dryden and Kenora, has seen businesses flocking to sign up.
“We’re fully expecting that that will happen here, although people in this community seem to have a tendency to wait somewhat until the last minute to register,” she chuckled.
“Right now, we have it being held here [at the RRFDC office],” Halvorsen added. “[But] we’re making sure we get everyone’s telephone number in case it gets big enough that we need to move it to a different venue.
Halvorsen said the seminar will be led by a Canada Revenue Agency representative, and is meant to inform small business owners about how the HST will work, who has to register, obligations and entitlements, books and records, special situations, and where to get further help.
“It’s going to help our clients quite a bit because everyone is wondering, ‘How is this going to work exactly?’ when it [the HST] comes in in July,” she noted.
“I am hoping this isn’t the only one they’re going to do because, of course, you do have some people who will wait until, ‘Oh, it’s here,’” Halvorsen continued.
“Even if there’s webinars or something they can host, I am hoping that can happen here in the next few months, as well.”
Halvorsen said she felt the earlier businesses can learn about the new tax, the better, and that while it’s going to mean different things to different people and their businesses, it most certainly is going to affect every businesses in the area.
