VANCOUVER, B.C.: More than 850,000 Medical Services Premium (MSP) tax payments are at least 31 days past due, reveal documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The documents show:

• 316,483 B.C. MSP tax payments are more than 90 days past due, owing a combined $418 million.
• 249,611 payments are 61-90 days late, owing $20.5 million.
• 290,237 payments are 31-60 days late, owing $24.2 million.

“These numbers are startling when you consider that only about half of B.C.’s 4.4 million people pay MSP directly, and roughly 800,000 people are exempted due to low income,” said Jordan Bateman, CTF B.C. Director. “It’s clear the MSP system is hopelessly flawed, but the government keeps doubling down on it with higher and higher taxes.”

MSP rates have nearly doubled since the BC Liberals took office in 2001, and have jumped 39 per cent since 2010. The annual MSP tax bill for a family of four is $150 per month.

In its 2016-17 pre-budget submission, the CTF called on the provincial government to freeze and review the MSP tax, with the goal of making it fairer and less costly for taxpayers.

“Next week’s provincial budget is the perfect time for the BC Liberal government to make meaningful changes to this unfair, expensive tax,” said Bateman. “Taxpayers, having seen so many of their expenses shoot through the roof in recent years, are begging for relief.”

For the full FOI documents, click HERE.