June 2010
Hot Topics
The New Harmonized Sales Tax | Helping Your Community
The New
Harmonized Sales Tax
Effective July 1st, 2010, the provincial and federal governments are blending the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) of eight per cent with the federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) of five
per cent to create the new Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) of 13 per cent. This means that
the sales tax rate on your natural gas bills will increase to 13 per cent from five per cent
on July 1st.
The HST amount on your Union Gas bill can be seen on the line titled "HST".
You may also notice both the GST and HST lines on your bill. This is because your billing period covers a period somewhere mid-month to mid-month, and the impact of the tax change was pro-rated on your bill. In other words, the natural gas you used before July 1st was taxed
at the previous GST rate of five per cent, and gas used from July 1st onward was – and will
be – taxed at the new HST rate of 13 per cent.
More information:
Please visit uniongas.com/hst for details about how the HST will impact your natural gas bills. You can also visit the Ontario Ministry of Finance website at fin.gov.on.ca or call 1 800 337-7222 for more information.
Helping Hands
Helping Your Community
Each summer, Union Gas employees, retirees and their families come together for the Helping Hands in Action program – a program committed to enriching the quality of life in our communities through active volunteering.
How it works:
Grants provided by the Spectra Energy Foundation are used to purchase supplies for these improvement projects and Union Gas volunteers provide the labour.
Volunteers planted trees as part of the Indian Creek reforestation
project in Chatham-Kent.
Who benefits
In 2009, 97 community improvement projects were completed across the province. Organizations benefited not only from our sweat equity but over $89,000 in project grants! Projects included installing shelves in school libraries, constructing bunk beds at a Boy Scout camp, planting trees and clearing walking trails, building a pen for baby deer, painting murals on defaced building exteriors and much more.
Last year at the Children's Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent, a group of volunteers completely transformed unsightly foliage into beautiful landscaping. The centre’s executive director, Donna Litwin-Makey, says "we're thrilled with the welcoming and attractive gardens that now warmly greet children and families to our centre".
And while all the recipients of Helping Hands in Action will boast of the improvements made to their organizations through this fantastic program, the volunteers also count themselves as the lucky ones. By giving back to their communities and making noticeable differences to others’ lives, Union Gas employees and their families are the ones most enriched by this meaningful labour of love.
Visit uniongas.com/community for more information about Union Gas’ charitable programs and efforts in your community!
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