In 2018, the BC NDP government implemented a luxury car tax of 15% PST on vehicle sales over $125,000, and 20% PST on sales over $150,000.

Yesterday, BC Liberal MLA Karin Kirkpatrick asked Finance Minister Selina Robinson to exempt collector’s vehicles from BC’s luxury car tax. This would give a $10,000 tax break to someone buying an antique car worth $125,000.

Kirkpatrick asked: “when the increased luxury car tax was brought in, it also caught in its net cars that are antique cars or collector cars… why didn’t government exclude this category of antique vehicles for the purpose of the luxury car tax? And will it do so now?” (Hansard video)

Minister Robinson responded: “when we think about the progressivism of taxes, people who are purchasing these very expensive cars tend to be high income folks… it’s hard to rationalize why [exempt] these cars and not other cars.”

In the October election, the BC Liberals proposed a temporary PST elimination that included eliminating the luxury car tax.

BC NDP MLA Ronna-Rae Leonard:

“At the same time BC Liberals are advocating spending cuts that would impact key services like healthcare and childcare, they’re pushing a $10,000 tax break on antique luxury cars worth more than $125,000. They’re proving every day that they’re still working for the wealthy and well-connected while making everyone else pay the price.”