Roger Knox - Vernon Morning Star Published: May 01, 2010 12:00 PM
The upcoming harmonized sales tax is making some local youth sports organizations sweat. Organizations like minor hockey and fastball, and youth soccer, are either going to raise fees or are contemplating raising them to help cover costs associated with the new tax. Greater Vernon Minor Hockey has already decided to increase fees by $40 per player for 2010-11. “We built it into the budget,” explained GVMHA president Jonathan Miller. Registration fees vary by age, but Miller said the younger age groups who paid $340 will now pay $380, while the older groups who paid $440 will see their registration jump to $480. The HST adds seven per cent to the cost of minor hockey’s biggest expenditure, ice rental, which also goes up another three per cent added by the regional district. “We’re looking at about a 10 per cent increase in ice rental,” said Miller, whose organization used to rely on government gaming grants to help pay for ice rental. Those grants are gone after the 2010-11 season. North Okanagan Minor Hockey, which encompasses Armstrong and Enderby players, also relied on those grants to help with expenditures.With the grants being eliminated and the HST coming in, president Bill Greene figures his association will have to be creative to keep costs down for families.“How do we recoup those funds?” said Greene.“We may have to go back to fundraising, selling chocolate bars, oranges, you name it.”There is concern the HST could lead to fewer kids playing hockey.“We’ve been worrying about decreasing numbers already,” said Greene.“There’s not as many children and more choices of sports for them to play. Hockey is relatively expensive because the cost of ice rental is so expensive.”
Lumby Minor Hockey has used incentives such as reduced fees for first-time players, family discounts or building the cost of a year-end banquet ticket or an association jacket into the registration fee. New association president Tracy Williamson thinks the HST could wipe out those initiatives. “We could pull the perks out but maintain the same registration fee to balance things out,” said Williamson. “But, more than likely, we’ll lose the perks.” All three minor hockey associations are looking at raising fees to offset the HST, as is North Okanagan Youth Soccer Association for 2011. The association paid $15,000 to rent the fields for the 2010 season, but can expect to pay an additional $1,800 in 2011 when the new HST is included. “In fairness, there are other things involved as well,” said Marina Korberg with youth soccer. “We haven’t increased our fees in four years, and have tried to maintain the costs as they were because of the economy. It’s been tough this year to keep budgets in line but we’ve done it through a lot of hard work and diligence. “But, yes, if the cost of business is going up for us, the cost would be passed on to the users. It’s the only way we can recoup that.”
The Vernon Minor Fastball Association will try not to raise its registration fees, which president Paulette Quibell said is the lowest out there among sporting organizations (fees range from $90 to $115, depending on level, for a three-month season, and registration fees cover the field rentals). “Where the HST will affect our association is with buying equipment and with fields,” said Quibell.“We won’t be able to buy as much in terms of bats, balls, catcher’s equipment, helmets and facemasks.”
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