Here’s a new year’s resolution you can enjoy — most British Columbians will no longer have to pay MSP premiums as of January 1, 2020.
Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and immigrants in B.C. will receive their last MSP bill in December 2019, after plans to scrap the tax were first announced in the NDP’s provincial budget in October 2018.
The move is expected to save individuals approximately $900 a year and families up to $1,800 a year, according to the provincial government.
See also: Provincial legislation moves to eliminate MSP premiums by 2020
B.C. was the last province in Canada to still charge a monthly health-care premium, and instead will be moving to the Employer Health Tax (EHT), which shifts the majority of healthcare costs from individuals to businesses.
The EHT was introduced to B.C. on January 1st, 2019, and as could be expected, the move has been met with mixed reception from business owners worried about already-thin profit margins.
See also: International students in BC will pay $75/month MSP to make up for elimination of premiums
Not all B.C. residents will benefit from the change, however. International students in the
province will have to start paying $75 monthly payments starting in 2020.
“We have an exceptional health-care system in B.C., and we want to ensure it remains a fair system for everyone,” said Dix, when the international student fee was announced.
“In eliminating MSP premiums for British Columbians and through the health services fee for post-secondary and K-12 international students, we’re ensuring that we all continue to contribute to and benefit from public health care in B.C.”
With files from Brishti Basu and Adam Chan
