HST referendum results expected in August

The B.C. government says the results of the HST referendum will not be announced until August, under a new timetable for the mail-in vote laid out on Friday.

According to the new timetable Elections BC will start mailing out referendum ballots for the HST to all registered voters on June 13 and by June 24 the majority of British Columbians are expected to have received the ballot.

The last day for unregistered voters to request a ballot from Elections BC will be July 8, and by July 22 completed ballots must be received by mail by Elections BC.

It will take several weeks for Elections BC to count the ballots, meaning the results of the vote are expected in August.

The referendum question will be: "Are you in favour of extinguishing the HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) and reinstating the PST (Provincial Sales Tax) in conjunction with the GST (Goods and Services Tax)? Yes/No."