A group of small businessmen from the Fraser Valley say that the implementation of the HST in the province has been a benefit for all who work in and invest in the forestry industry.

At a press conference Tuesday morning at Tamlin International Homes鈥� office in Aldergrove, Jim Hackett, president of the Interior Lumber Association, said, 鈥淭he 12% PST-GST was an inefficient, expensive system. The HST has made forestry more competitive and created new jobs. Going back to the PST will put our industry, our members鈥� job security and our province at risk.鈥�

Paul Tabuchi, a co-owner of Tamlin, said that the savings from the HST were 鈥渞e-invested in our business鈥� and enabled Tamlin to bring in new health benefits for their workers.

Rob Mitchell, president of BW Creative Wood Industries Ltd., said the HST 鈥渉as significantly reduced our administrative burden. The old system was much more cumbersome and more complex. We can now do it on-line.鈥�

One of the biggest drawbacks of the PST was its complexity and inconsistency in the law鈥檚 interpretation, said Hans Baer of Wide Plank Hardwood.

鈥淲e were a victim of PST,鈥� said Baer, noting that six years ago a PST auditor had told him not to charge the PST on certain items considered exempt from the tax.

鈥淭hen last year another PST auditor told us that was wrong, and we were made to pay $106,000 in back taxes and penalty,鈥� said the chagrined Baer.

Aaron Moore of Brian Moore Log Homes agreed with Baer, noting that 鈥淧ST audits being done right now show that they have been assessing customers differently. It鈥檚 an unfair application of tax that many customers don鈥檛 realize because it鈥檚 hidden.

鈥淭ax laws should be simpler, like the HST is, and applied evenly to all consumers,鈥� said Moore.