Desiree Hesson, owner of The S2DIO in Prince Albert, confirmed that PST will be added to memberships beginning October 1.
He said he doesn’t know why the government would impose an additional tax on something that benefits the health and well-being of people in Saskatchewan, adding that the industry has already been hit hard by the pandemic restrictions.
“Many of us in the fitness industry have been hit the hardest by any small business in the last two years. So to get out of all the restrictions and all the COVID and everything, and then a month later basically getting slapped in the face with an additional six percent rate for PST, I know I’m not happy about that.”
She believes gyms and instructors are doing more to help the province’s health system and believes they should be subsidized, not penalized.
“I think if anything should be given to health and wellness and fitness some kind of subsidy or bribe or something like that, because now you’re just penalizing the few extra dollars from anybody who’s trying to stay healthy and well, so I just don’t get it. I guess I’m dumbfounded more than anything.”
Hesson isn’t the only businessman feeling this confusion. GoodLife Fitness, which has a gym in Prince Albert, is also unhappy with the government’s decision to add PST to its memberships.
In a statement sent to panhorathe company said it is “deeply disappointed and puzzled” by the province’s decision.
“Members are well aware that the gym was one of the most restricted places during the pandemic,” the statement read. “The impacts of those restrictions are being felt, and will continue to be felt, for a long time to come through permanent closures in the fitness industry, the personal financial burden placed on our members and associates, and the documented decline in physical and mental health. . among the general population.
“In its budget, the province seeks to justify the sales tax by saying it would help offset the cost of the surge in surgeries caused by the pandemic. If the goal is to reduce the burden on the health care sector, taxing access to exercise and discouraging healthy habits makes the situation worse, not better. We strongly believe that the Saskatchewan government should have proposed a tax credit, not a sales tax, on exercise to align with their goal.”
The statement ends with GoodLife saying that it is requesting meetings with provincial government decision makers to share concerns and advocate on behalf of the thousands of gym members and employees in Saskatchewan who will be immediately and negatively affected by this tax. .
Provincial Finance Minister Donna Harpauer has defended the expansion of the PST, telling reporters at the time of the budget’s release that the $20 million a year the expanded PST generates is expected to significantly help narrow the list of surgical wait.
“If I were to say to a Saskatchewan resident, ‘Would you be willing to pay this for maybe two concerts and a Rider ticket for us to get on the very critical surgical waiting list?’ — Because if we are not that someone, we all know someone in our family whose quality of life is not what it should be because he needs a hip or knee replacement — I think the people of Saskatchewan will support him.”
–With files from 650 CKOM
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On twitter: @pa_craddock
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