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  • Letter To Premier Horgan

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    The Vancouver Sun
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    B.C.’s Opposition Liberal party is calling on the NDP government to pause the Provincial Sales Tax, Hotel Tax and Employer Health Tax for up to three months, to help the economic recovery from COVID-19

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    Letter to Premier Horgan

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    B.C.’s Opposition Liberal party is calling on the NDP government to pause the Provincial Sales Tax, Hotel Tax and Employer Health Tax for up to three months, to help the economic recovery from COVID-19

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    12K views2 pages

    Letter To Premier Horgan

    Uploaded by

    The Vancouver Sun
    B.C.’s Opposition Liberal party is calling on the NDP government to pause the Provincial Sales Tax, Hotel Tax and Employer Health Tax for up to three months, to help the economic recovery from COVID-19

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 2

    LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

    of BRITISH COLUMBIA

    Honourable John Horgan, MLA


    Premier of British Columbia
    West Annex
    Parliament Buildings
    Victoria, BC
    V8V 1X4

    May 5, 2020

    Dear Premier:

    On behalf of the BC Liberal Official Opposition, I want to reaffirm our continued support of the provincial
    government’s efforts to contain the COVID-19 virus and keep British Columbians as safe as possible. The
    health impacts of this virus have been devastating for many families, and our hearts are with all of those
    who have lost a loved one as a result of this pandemic.

    The effort to combat this virus has truly been an all-in effort by British Columbians, who deserve our
    gratitude for the sacrifices they have made to help flatten the curve. Our front-line health professionals,
    and essential service workers like transit drivers and grocery store staff, deserve our special thanks for
    the incredible sacrifices they are making, day in and day out, on behalf of us all.

    The tireless efforts of Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, Minister of Health Adrian Dix, and their
    respective teams deserve our gratitude too. As your government prepares to introduce its re-opening
    plan this week, it is critical that your plan clearly defines a path out of the current restrictions.

    The Official Opposition is calling on government to include the following actions as part of the economic
    recovery plan and ensure that we get B.C. on a trajectory to restore economic activity and get British
    Columbians back to work while at the same time keeping British Columbians as safe as possible:

    • Establish an increased testing and monitoring plan to ensure we remain in control of the
    ongoing COVID-19 public health threat;
    • Develop and release a transparent pandemic management plan, including a long-term
    procurement strategy for health supplies and PPE;
    • Establish a timely review process for sector-by-sector re-opening plans developed by the private
    sector, including timelines;
    • Launch a B.C. is Back economic growth and job creation plan for British Columbians, to include:

    o a 60-90-day holiday on Provincial Sales Tax, Hotel Tax and EHT;


    o a short-term commercial rent relief plan that includes a no-eviction backstop to
    help small businesses, particularly retailers, who have seen a significant loss of revenue;
    o an increase in our tourism marketing budget to attract visitors when it is safe to do so;
    o a rural B.C.-specific strategy that helps position rural B.C. for post COVID-19 prosperity;
    and
    BC Liberal Official Opposition
    Parliament Buildings
    Victoria, BC V8V 1X4
    T: 250-356-6171
    LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
    of BRITISH COLUMBIA

    o a moratorium on new regulations and policies that would add costs for B.C. businesses.

    The people of British Columbia have been rightfully focused on what they can do to support government
    in our collective efforts to combat COVID-19. But they are also growing more and more concerned about
    how they will deal with the economic devastation that looms ahead.

    Keeping British Columbians safe remains priority number one, but effectively communicating how
    government will lead economic recovery is critical as we navigate through this challenging time. British
    Columbians deserve no less.

    The challenge in front of us may well be more difficult than fighting the virus itself. We are now in a
    deep recession, hundreds of thousands of people are out of work, businesses are in peril, and students
    are likely not back in school until the fall.

    Now is the time to be bold and brave.

    Sincerely,

    Andrew Wilkinson, Q.C., MLA


    Leader of the Official Opposition

    BC Liberal Official Opposition


    Parliament Buildings
    Victoria, BC V8V 1X4
    T: 250-356-6171

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