There’s a strong rumour among those in the BC Italian Motorcycle collective saying there’s a move upcoming by ICBC to charge purchase tax on ‘real’ value of a bike rather than agreed upon price on the transfer form which is filled out by the buyer and seller. Anyone in the business hear about this new move?

Ya, this was announced a couple of weeks ago.  ICBC will now charge PST on the average value (in their mind) of all vehicles sold.  Which is total BS.  So now, if you buy a rusted basket case bike or car, you’ll be charged PST (and probably GST) on the value of a good running bike or car.  They will disregard the declared sale value and they will assume you are lying if you declare a sale value of less.  Just a total f***ing ripoff.

I doubt that will actually be initiated.

I'm not a typical NDP supporter but honestly I have few complaints about the current guy in charge.  Having said that, this dumb F*#@king initiative is a typical brain dead NDP kind of policy.

Maybe if people were honest about their declared value we wouldn't see policy like this.  But I'm still bugged that they charge 12% on used vehicles upon registration unless you've purchased through a dealer where you already paid GST & PST.

They are likely targetting newer vehicles (cars and trucks), rather than our beaters.   Not completely thought out, obviously.

I wouldn't be that harsh myself.  This is the same gubmint that brought us lower insurance rates, eliminated Port Mann tolls and MSP payments. 

I expect there will be an appeal process where if you show a bank draft or cheque from you and made out to the seller, it would  be adequate proof of the true purchase price.

To be fair, they haven't eliminated any of those costs, you're just paying for it in other ways.

  100% correct.

Well they eliminated MSP for me and my wife.  I realized they transferred it to business but when I was working my employer paid it anyway, so now that I'm retired it's a savings for me and taxes didn't rise, so no....I'm not paying it.  I don't use Port Mann much anymore but how is the truck traffic on Petullo these days?  Hard to say on ICBC, as rights to sue have been largely eliminated.  I'm OK with that because it was costing them a pile for lawyers that they no longer pay and they have passed the savings on to us.  Mind you I think it was silly to send out those cheques for one or two dollars.  I got five of them.

You're paying for it with everything you buy my man.

PST hasn't changed my boy.

So, are you thinking when the Government transfers the cost of those things you mentioned on to businesses, those businesses be like: 'that's all right, we'll just suck up those costs instead of passing the increase costs along to our customers' ?  Or, are you thinking the costs for all that stuff funds itself?

When I was working (for the last 30 or so years of my employment) my employer paid my BC medical premiums.  Most of the bigger union contracts were like that, and many individuals had that same arrangement with their employers.  So for us, there was no change as far as gubmint was concerned.

Depends on the company.  For most of them the increase wouldn't move the decimal point.  But for the employees who still had to pay it....it means fewer trips to the food bank.  And I'm well aware of what health care costs.  Have you looked at the BC budget that was recently passed?  Far and away the bulk of government revenue comes from individuals, not from business.  The tax table is still heavily tilted favourably towards business, as it should be.  

Some people seem to prefer a different government.  You know...the party that refused to work on homelessness, who allowed RE prices to take off and who allowed money laundering to take place in casinos right in front of their eyes?

  Another current "anomaly" within ICBC premium payment system, found today, Mar 23/22. A situation has arisen following the premium renewal of my Ford Ranger. Apparently, new software used by Toronto Dominion Bank, ICBC's sole banking partner, has been having issues since it's January 1st bootup, particularly double and triple billing of your premium payment. A visit to my local Autoplan agent confirmed this, and, 1/2 hr on the phone with ICBC financial, noted this problem. 1 week was the word given to refund the second payment I made for my one vehicle premium. Not one to rest idly, I contacted my credit card company to file a report of the situation, of which they are fully aware, that I shall be contacting them in exactly 1 week to retrieve the second payment. Laughably, my credit card company is owned by TDB, and they see the incorrect billing on both sides of the 'docket'.   

  Be aware, ICBC is stupid, and their banking system is also stupid, not to be trusted any more than a Mexican roadside taco stand.

It sounds to me like TD is the bad actor here.  My credit card company (RBC) allows me to reverse a charge online.  It's a bit tedious but I've done it a couple of times.