
British Columbia to amend marketplace PST regulations
As part of its provincial budget for 2023, British Columbia is amending tax rules affecting online marketplaces and the services they supply. Starting 1 July 2023, the rules applicable to the collection of online marketplace facilitators and taxation of the services they provide are being simplified.
Following some feedback from industry stakeholders, the government will amend the rules originally announced as part of its Budget 2022. As such, the services provided by online marketplaces will be taxable when the platform facilitates the supply of non-taxable services.
Additionally, the rules laying down when an online marketplace service is taxable are changed to reflect the existing place of supply rules to be used to determine the federal tax treatment of goods and services.
Further changes are expected including a more specific definition of online marketplace facilitator, seller and online marketplace service. The amendments brought about by the government will not make any supplies taxable to consumers, but they are likely to affect purchases by marketplace sellers.