
Costco ready for court fight with B.C. government CBC \|\| January 23, 2006 Retail giant Costco is taking legal action to stop the government of British Columbia from obtaining the names of residents who have shopped at eight stores in Alberta. The battle has been brewing for more than two years. The B.C. government first sought Costco's sales records in October 2003. It wants the names and addresses of those who made purchases as far back as 1998 without paying provincial sales tax in British Columbia. Alberta has no sales tax. B.C. has said it's losing a total of $16 million a year in revenue on shoppers going across the border. Costco says it's never encountered an action like this anywhere else in Canada. And the company is asking B.C. Supreme Court to declare that the request from the provincial government is inappropriate and a violation of privacy laws. "The element that is the most important in all of this is that we understand that consumer privacy and consumer information (are) sacred and must be protected," said company spokesperson Ron Damiani. Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com Damiani says Costco is concerned this may be the thin edge of the wedge. He wonders whether the B.C. government will also seek credit card records of consumers who have crossed provincial borders to shop. Minister taking second look B.C. Revenue Minister Rick Thorpe says his department will review its efforts to collect sales tax from cross-border shoppers buying high-priced items in Alberta. "What I have asked my deputy and senior staff to review is our whole approach to cross-border tax administration, tax fairness and how we go about doing that," he told reporters in Victoria. "Again, my responsibility is to British Columbia and British Columbians to ensure that our tax code is administered in a fair and equitable manner." Thorpe says he expects his staff to report back to him next week. About KDR \| \| Home \| \| Weekly Features Archive	Weekly Weekly Features Archive
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Costco ready for court fight with B.C. government

CBC || January 23, 2006

Retail giant Costco is taking legal action to stop the government of British Columbia from obtaining the names of residents who have shopped at eight stores in Alberta.

The battle has been brewing for more than two years.

The B.C. government first sought Costco's sales records in October 2003. It wants the names and addresses of those who made purchases as far back as 1998 without paying provincial sales tax in British Columbia.

Alberta has no sales tax. B.C. has said it's losing a total of $16 million a year in revenue on shoppers going across the border.

Costco says it's never encountered an action like this anywhere else in Canada. And the company is asking B.C. Supreme Court to declare that the request from the provincial government is inappropriate and a violation of privacy laws.

"The element that is the most important in all of this is that we understand that consumer privacy and consumer information (are) sacred and must be protected," said company spokesperson Ron Damiani.

Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com

Damiani says Costco is concerned this may be the thin edge of the wedge. He wonders whether the B.C. government will also seek credit card records of consumers who have crossed provincial borders to shop.

Minister taking second look

B.C. Revenue Minister Rick Thorpe says his department will review its efforts to collect sales tax from cross-border shoppers buying high-priced items in Alberta.

"What I have asked my deputy and senior staff to review is our whole approach to cross-border tax administration, tax fairness and how we go about doing that," he told reporters in Victoria.

"Again, my responsibility is to British Columbia and British Columbians to ensure that our tax code is administered in a fair and equitable manner."

Thorpe says he expects his staff to report back to him next week.

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