Under Saskatchewan's new four-point affordability plan, the PST expansion will no longer include gyms. (S2DIO/Facebook)

By Rob Mahon

No Gym Tax

Relief for local gyms as province walks back PST expansion

Aug 24, 2022 | 12:00 PM

Months of worry and frustration gave way to relief for gym goers and fitness buffs in Saskatchewan as the province announced their proposed PST expansion will not include gyms after all.

As part of their four-point affordability plan announced yesterday, the provincial government said they were walking back part of their proposed expansion of the PST. Gyms and fitness centres were among the businesses that were initially supposed to get hit with the extra charge that were removed from the list.

“There were a few mixed emotions,” said Desiree Hesson, owner of The S2DIO in Prince Albert. “Of course, extremely excited and then the sheer panic that I had read it wrong. But all in all, super, super excited, I don’t think that should ever have been a thing to begin with.”

Hesson wasn’t alone in thinking she had read the initial release from the province incorrectly. One of the criticisms of the new guidelines on the PST expansion — which will still apply to events like concerts and sporting events — was that it was complicated to understand.

“My dad, he’s my guy who keeps me in the loop on all this stuff,” Hesson said with a chuckle. “He read it, he sent it to me, and then I read it, and we both kind of went, ‘Wait a minute, is this saying it’s not in effect or is it not?’ So we re-read it about six or seven more times and we both came to the conclusion that no, it was not coming into effect.”

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The ultimate removal of gyms from the PST expansion was good news for businesses like The S2DIO, but that doesn’t change their initial viewpoint that it was a bad idea from the start.

“I truly believe fitness in general is very much the frontline to the frontline of our health care system,” said Hesson. “So to almost penalize people for trying to take their health and wellness into their own hands seemed so backwards to me. It made absolutely no sense.”

It may have seemed like the stress gym owners and their customers went through was all for nothing, as they worried about an increase in fees that never came. For Hesson, however, the good news was good news regardless.

“Stressing about the stuff that might be coming or might not be coming is pretty useless,” Hesson said. “If it doesn’t come, then you’ve stressed about it for nothing. If it does, you’re just stressing about it twice. COVID especially really instilled some patience in me.”

Hesson added she had already let her members know on social media that the PST expansion would not be affecting them after all and they responded with relief.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP