BILL 42 – 2003
PROVINCIAL REVENUE STATUTES AMENDMENT ACT (No. 2), 2003

HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

Motor Fuel Tax Act

1 Section 1 of the Motor Fuel Tax Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 317, is amended in the definition of "authorization" by striking out "section 14 (1);" and substituting "section 14 (1) or 14.1 (1), as the case may be;".

2 Section 14 is amended

(a) by adding the following subsection:

(3.1) A person authorized to colour fuel must use the prescribed dye, the prescribed dyeing procedures and the prescribed equipment to colour the fuel. , and

(b) in subsection (4) by striking out "or" at the end of paragraph (a), by repealing paragraph (b) and by substituting the following:

(b) a term or condition imposed with respect to an authorization under subsection (1) or section 14.1, or

(c) a term or condition imposed under subsection (9).

3 The following section is added:

Authority to sell coloured fuel

14.1 (1) The director may, in writing, authorize a person to sell coloured fuel subject to the terms and conditions the director considers appropriate.

(2) An authorized person must not delegate or transfer the authorized person's authority to sell coloured fuel.

(3) A person must not sell coloured fuel unless the person has an authorization to sell coloured fuel.

(4) Section 14 (4) to (9) applies to an authorization under this section.

4 Section 36 (1) is repealed and the following substituted:

(1) The minister may provide allowances as prescribed by the regulations, to

(a) collectors for their services in collecting and remitting the tax to the minister,

(b) prescribed collectors to account for evaporation of fuel that occurs in the normal course of business, and

(c) persons authorized to colour fuel under section 14 for their services in colouring fuel.

5 Section 41 is amended

(a) in subsection (1) by striking out "or the premises where the records of the person are kept," and substituting "the premises where the records of the person are kept or the work site at which fuel is coloured, stored or used",

(b) in subsection (1) by adding the following paragraph:

(d) inspect and take samples of the contents of fuel storage tanks, including fuel tanks of motor vehicles or fuel tanks mounted on motor vehicles, to ascertain compliance with this Act or the regulations. , and

(c) in subsection (4) by striking out "in subsection (1) (a) to (c)." and substituting "in subsection (1) (a) to (d)."

6 Section 50 (1) (a) is amended by striking out "section 14 (4);" and substituting "section 14 or 14.1;".

7 Section 53 (2) is repealed and following substituted:

(2) The amount of the bond is to be determined by the director, but it must not be greater than 6 times the estimated amount of tax that would be collectable in respect of fuel imported, manufactured or otherwise acquired during the reporting period if that fuel were sold to a purchaser.

8 Section 71 (2) is amended

(a) by repealing paragraph (m) and substituting the following:

(m) prescribing the types of dye for colouring fuel, the equipment to be used to colour fuel, the procedures for colouring fuel, and the place at which fuel may be coloured; ,

(b) in paragraph (o) by striking out "under section 14 to colour fuel" and substituting "under section 14 to colour fuel or under section 14.1 to sell coloured fuel",

(c) in paragraph (q) by striking out "under section 14 (4);" and substituting "under section 14 (4) or 14.1;" , and

(d) by adding the following paragraph:

(z) for the purposes of section 36 (1), prescribing the amount of an allowance and the circumstances in which an allowance will be provided, and prescribing different allowances and different circumstances for different classes of collectors or classes of persons authorized to colour fuel.

Social Service Tax Act

9 The Social Service Tax Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 431, is amended by adding the following Division to Part 2:

Division 10 -- Fuel

Sale of fuel

68.1 (1) Subject to subsection (2), a person must not sell liquid fuel unless that fuel is coloured in the manner in which fuel is coloured under the Motor Fuel Tax Act.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to fuel described in section 74 (a).

(3) A person must not colour fuel for the purposes of subsection (1) unless that person is authorized to colour fuel under section 14 of the Motor Fuel Tax Act.

(4) Fuel that is not coloured as required under this section is, for the purposes of the Motor Fuel Tax Act, deemed to be motive fuel as defined under that Act.

(5) Without limiting subsection (4),

(a) a purchaser of fuel referred to in subsection (4) is subject to tax under section 10 of the Motor Fuel Tax Act, and

(b) a person who sells fuel referred to in subsection (4) is subject to the obligations imposed on sellers of fuel under that Act, including obligations relating to the collection and remittance of tax and the payment of security, and is subject to the requirements for appointments and authorizations under that Act.

10 The following section is added:

Tax payment agreements

93.1 (1) The commissioner may, in the circumstances established by the regulations, enter into an agreement, with a person liable to pay the tax imposed by this Act, relating to the time and manner in which the tax is to be paid to the government.

(2) An agreement referred to in subsection (1) is subject to the conditions established in the regulations.

(3) Despite anything in this Act, an agreement referred to in subsection (1) may provide

(a) that instead of paying tax to a person referred to section 93 (1) or (1.1), the person liable must pay the tax directly to the government,

(b) that instead of paying tax to an agent referred to in Division 2, the person liable must pay the tax directly to the government,

(c) that the tax be paid at a time other than the time referred to in this Act,

(d) that interest accrues from a time other than the time at which the tax is due and payable under this Act,

(e) that payments are based on formulas or estimates referred to in the agreement, and

(f) for such other terms and conditions that the commissioner considers necessary or advisable for the efficient administration of this Act.

(4) If an agreement referred to in subsection (1) is, by the terms of the agreement or by the regulations, subject to a condition referred to in subsection (3) (a), the person referred to in section 93 (1) or (1.1) is relieved of the obligation to collect the tax.

11 Section 138 (1) is amended by adding the following paragraph:

(s) prescribing any matter or thing related to an agreement under section 93.1, including the circumstances in which the commissioner may enter into the agreement, the conditions to which the agreement is subject, the matters referred to in section 93.1 (3), and the imposition of penalties for the failure to comply with the agreement.

Commencement

12 Sections 1 to 9 come into force by regulation of the Lieutenant Governor in Council.