I got a reply back from her. I think it's the Canadian version of the UBI that Sakura-Con requires. Now I don't know how easy/hard it is to apply for one in Canada, but if things went as smooth as it did for Sakura-Con, then we shouldn't have much to worry about. Basically, all we need to do is apply for a temporary GST/HST number. The aftermath is what's crazy. We have to report back to the Canadian tax revenue agency how much we made and pay taxes based on our profit.
For most of us who do this as a hobby/side business, unfortunately, we'll have to go through this route.
As for Amanda's comment about you being the only one not having the number, uhh... I'm not sure if I believe her. Many of the vendors I met at Sakura-Con don't have a business tax number and apply for a temporary one every year. In fact, so many people apply for it that when I called the Seattle, Washington tax revenue office to apply for one for Sakura-Con, the officers KNEW which event I was referring to right away. And since Amanda used to work for Sakura-Con... :\
BUT, at least she is not ignoring us and is replying back quite promptly. I've encountered one vendor's room coordinator who ignored my emails for over 6 months when I was only trying to chase my registration payment and to secure my spot. I ended up emailing the executive director, operations, general inquiries, and many others before I got any sort of replies. >__>
Hmm... I did some research on GST and PST numbers from this website. Now I don't know about you (though I would guess you're in the same boat as me) but I don't really fit in the category to apply for a GST number or a PST number (the latter is also called a Vendor's Permit, which I'm assuming is the HST equivalent after July 1st, 2010) according to the website.
For PST, I found this:
4. Who is not Required to Register? Persons who do not make regular taxable sales or leases do not need to register as vendors. These include the following: * Persons who are not in business but who occasionally dispose of personal goods through garage sales, flea markets or fund raising sales. In such cases, however, tax should be collected and remitted to the Consumer Taxation Branch on all sales.
For GST, I'm seeing this:
Do I need to register for GST (Goods and Services Tax)? While you are not required to register for GST until your annual gross revenues exceed a minimum threshold (currently $30,000) we generally recommend that any business register as soon as possible.
I am, however, going to contact the Canadian Revenue Office to ask about the GST number and if there are any temporary ones that we can apply for.
But I think we need to talk to Amanda to let her know that we're not a registered business. And if Amanda really requires us to have some kind of a permit, she needs to help us find out where to get a temporary one.
I have to keep this short because I'm overloaded with work. >_<
THANK YOU for all the information provided. I'm going to email Amanda this weekend and see what she says. I will also call the numbers you've provided, but probably not until next week when work gives me a breather.
I'll have to take back what I said about Amanda replying back promptly. I sent her an email asking her about this last week (right after you sent me the above messages) and I still haven't heard back from her yet. I just resent my email. Hopefully, I'll get something back soon. -__-
1) Were you able to electrically submit the registration form to her through Adobe PDF? Or did you have to snail mail the papers or scan the registration form and email them to her again?
2) How much did you pay for the deposit? (The last couple of years, I've been paying a 30% deposit ahead of time and the remaining 70% at the convention.)
These were the two questions - plus the trouble with the GST number that you and I were discussing above - that I emailed to Amanda. But somehow, instead of answering my first two questions and telling me to wait on the GST number thing, I got a reply from her this morning telling me that she needed to review everything with the execs first. >__>
I was *just* about to email you about this too. I got the same email from her. I guess she is finally acknowledging that we can't get the permit/licensing that she had hoped for. I mentioned that our "business" is more like a giant garage sale/flea market. So that's probably what she was basing her research on.
(On a side note, she replied back with the same email - with only information about the GST/PST/HST number - and never answered any of my other questions. Hate to admit this but it is getting a little frustrating dealing with her. -__-)
Thanks for all the information. I ended up just mailing her the contract with the assumption that sending only a deposit was okay. Thank goodness she did eventually get back to me.
Key word: Eventually
-__-
I never thought AE registration could be so troublesome.
No, I've never had Canada Customs seize any of my doujinshi (or other stuff). That's really weird... The most they've done to me is open the parcel and read the doujinshi inside.
I swear, the last two times parcels sent to me were put on hold by Canada Customs, when I eventually receive them, the R-18 ones were oh-so-conveniently on top of the stack both times. *coughs*
But jokes aside, I think they may be scanning for kiddy pr0n materials? Which I guess makes sense, considering how strict they are with the law? Your best bet is to probably call them and ask, and possibly explain if needed.
For most of us who do this as a hobby/side business, unfortunately, we'll have to go through this route.
As for Amanda's comment about you being the only one not having the number, uhh... I'm not sure if I believe her. Many of the vendors I met at Sakura-Con don't have a business tax number and apply for a temporary one every year. In fact, so many people apply for it that when I called the Seattle, Washington tax revenue office to apply for one for Sakura-Con, the officers KNEW which event I was referring to right away. And since Amanda used to work for Sakura-Con... :\
BUT, at least she is not ignoring us and is replying back quite promptly. I've encountered one vendor's room coordinator who ignored my emails for over 6 months when I was only trying to chase my registration payment and to secure my spot. I ended up emailing the executive director, operations, general inquiries, and many others before I got any sort of replies. >__>
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
For PST, I found this:
4. Who is not Required to Register?
Persons who do not make regular taxable sales or leases do not need to register as vendors. These include the following:
* Persons who are not in business but who occasionally dispose of personal goods through garage sales, flea markets or fund raising sales. In such cases, however, tax should be collected and remitted to the Consumer Taxation Branch on all sales.
For GST, I'm seeing this:
Do I need to register for GST (Goods and Services Tax)?
While you are not required to register for GST until your annual gross revenues exceed a minimum threshold (currently $30,000) we generally recommend that any business register as soon as possible.
I am, however, going to contact the Canadian Revenue Office to ask about the GST number and if there are any temporary ones that we can apply for.
But I think we need to talk to Amanda to let her know that we're not a registered business. And if Amanda really requires us to have some kind of a permit, she needs to help us find out where to get a temporary one.
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
THANK YOU for all the information provided. I'm going to email Amanda this weekend and see what she says. I will also call the numbers you've provided, but probably not until next week when work gives me a breather.
Here's to hoping that all will go well for us.
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
1) Were you able to electrically submit the registration form to her through Adobe PDF? Or did you have to snail mail the papers or scan the registration form and email them to her again?
2) How much did you pay for the deposit? (The last couple of years, I've been paying a 30% deposit ahead of time and the remaining 70% at the convention.)
These were the two questions - plus the trouble with the GST number that you and I were discussing above - that I emailed to Amanda. But somehow, instead of answering my first two questions and telling me to wait on the GST number thing, I got a reply from her this morning telling me that she needed to review everything with the execs first. >__>
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
(On a side note, she replied back with the same email - with only information about the GST/PST/HST number - and never answered any of my other questions. Hate to admit this but it is getting a little frustrating dealing with her. -__-)
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
Key word: Eventually
-__-
I never thought AE registration could be so troublesome.
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
I swear, the last two times parcels sent to me were put on hold by Canada Customs, when I eventually receive them, the R-18 ones were oh-so-conveniently on top of the stack both times. *coughs*
But jokes aside, I think they may be scanning for kiddy pr0n materials? Which I guess makes sense, considering how strict they are with the law? Your best bet is to probably call them and ask, and possibly explain if needed.
Reply
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