The Canada Revenue Agency recently published the 100th edition of its Excise and GST/HST News. It has been published every three months beginning when GST new back in January of 1991.
GST News highlights anything new in the administration of the GST/HST, First Nations goods and services taxes (FNGST & FNT), softwood lumber products export charge, air travellers security charge (ATSC), as well as excise taxes and duties.
For those of us old enough to remember, it has been 25 years now since the GST came into being!
GST News used to be mailed out with the GST returns, but with electronic filing, it stopped being mailed out. This is a shame, because it probably lost many of its readers since then. Nevertheless, it is still alive and well, and you can get it by electronic subscription here.
Each edition shows:
- upcoming amendments to policy and legislation
- current prescribed rates of interest both refunds and amounts owing,
- newly revised forms,
- how to contact CRA about anything GST/HST or Excise related.
In addition to Excise & GST/HST News, the CRA also produces the following free publications:
- General Guides attempt to explain how the GST/HST works, with simplified language.
- GST Memoranda discuss GST legislation in detail, but are being replaced by the GST Memoranda Series, which began publishing in 1994.
- Technical Information Bulletins (TIBs) announce technical, regulatory and policy changes as “quickly as possible.” The information in TIBs gets reflected in later amendments to the memoranda.
- The GST/HST Info Sheets are plain language technical publications designed to provide clear and concise explanations of specific issues relating to the GST/HST.
- and GST/HST Policy Statements deal with both Policy issues as well as providing direction for the transition from GST to HST, and in BC, the transition back to GST
- Finally, GST/HST Notices are miscellaneous notices regarding changes in CRA policy, notices of change to publications, short announcements regarding the GST/HST, First Nations Goods and Services Tax (FNGST)
Finally, there is the always helpful GST/HST Rulings Centres. Their staff are knowledgeable and happy to answer your questions. You can reach them at 1-800-959-8287. In addition to answering questions, you can also obtain written rulings for anything you are not sure of, giving you peace of mind.
Of course, we here at Pacific Chartered Advisors are always here to help you with GST planning, audits and appeals, and recovering amounts that you may have overpaid.
