In an effort to encourage more people to ride bikes, Ontario, Canada’s government has voted to exempt bicycles and accessories from the 8% provincial retail sales tax. Beginning December 1st, all bikes under $1,000 as well as helmets and other safety equipment will be tax-free.
"I hope [this] announcement will mean a few more families can afford to ride together," Ontario’s Premier McGuinty said. "And I hope a few more Ontarians will decide to try commuting by bike instead of by car."
Governments often won’t tax “necessities,” such as food and clothing. Because of its ability to combat both global warming and obesity, Ontario extended the tax-free status to bicycles.
Making cycling more affordable is one of several efforts by the McGuinty administration to make Ontario healthier. Other initiatives, as reported by BRAIN, include:
- Requiring 20 minutes of daily physical activity and banning the sale of junk food in schools.
- Giving every Ontarian the right to be free from second-hand smoke with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, which bans smoking in public spaces and workplaces.
- Protecting the Greenbelt, 1.8 million acres of greenspace.
- Creating the Ontario Trails Strategy to develop a world-class system of diversified recreational trails.
- Retail Sales Tax exemption for nicotine replacement therapies.
Via Bicycle Retailer and Industry News. Photo via flickr by duluoz cats
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