Head's Up For Anyone Doing Business in Calgary!

[TreeGuy]

I had a run in with a By-law officer today that left me flabbergasted to say the least!

Did you know that if any city property is used to conduct business, you are required to have a $17.50 street use permit or face a $500.00 fine?

Basically, if you park in front of someone's house (or even the back lane) to do work, you are using city property and must have this permit. They can be issued either on a daily basis or annual (no other option), for a low, low fee of $6387.50 + GST.

Even if I parked on private property and hauled my branches the 50' up the sidewalk, I would still be using city property to conduct business and as such be subject to a $500.00 fine for not having this stupid permit.

Plumbers, painters, framers, etc are all subject to this crap. Even the kid up the street that shovels your walks or cuts your grass!

The officer told me it is a quote, "Public safety issue." I mumbled something about it being yet another damn tax grab but didn't push the issue as he was only going to give me a warning. Now I'm in the system and will be fined if the truck is caught working again without a permit. So now we're shut down until we get this figured out! What a joke! Just what a small business needs these days is another $6387.50 +GST rammed down our necks.

Anyone else ever hear of this?

[eastcoast]

Originally Posted by TreeGuy

I had a run in with a By-law officer today that left me flabbergasted to say the least!

Did you know that if any city property is used to conduct business, you are required to have a $17.50 street use permit or face a $500.00 fine?

Basically, if you park in front of someone's house (or even the back lane) to do work, you are using city property and must have this permit. They can be issued either on a daily basis or annual (no other option), for a low, low fee of $6387.50 + GST.

Even if I parked on private property and hauled my branches the 50' up the sidewalk, I would still be using city property to conduct business and as such be subject to a $500.00 fine for not having this stupid permit.

Plumbers, painters, framers, etc are all subject to this crap. Even the kid up the street that shovels your walks or cuts your grass!

The officer told me it is a quote, "Public safety issue." I mumbled something about it being yet another damn tax grab but didn't push the issue as he was only going to give me a warning. Now I'm in the system and will be fined if the truck is caught working again without a permit. So now we're shut down until we get this figured out! What a joke! Just what a small business needs these days is another $6387.50 +GST rammed down our necks.

Anyone else ever hear of this?

is this new or has it been around for a while?


I guess you can write some of this off somehow still sucks though.

[FishingMOM]

Thinking someone was upset you disturbed their sleep with those aweful chainsaws and shovels you so love to use.

[TreeGuy]

Apparently it's been around for a long time.

I forgot to mention that it doesn't matter if the company is running 1 unit or 100. Same fee. The officer said straight out that it hurts the little guys the most.

And then the best quote of all, "You'll just have to pass the cost along to the consumer."

[eastcoast]

Originally Posted by TreeGuy

Apparently it's been around for a long time.

I forgot to mention that it doesn't matter if the company is running 1 unit or 100. Same fee. The officer said straight out that it hurts the little guys the most.

And then the best quote of all, "You'll just have to pass the cost along to the consumer."

well every business does that anyways,seems like a good tax raiser how many plumbing,gas fitting,electrical,landscaping companies are in calgary must be thousands?

[FishingMOM]

Originally Posted by eastcoast

well every business does that anyways,seems like a good tax raiser how many plumbing,gas fitting,electrical,landscaping companies are in calgary must be thousands?

576 results: plumbers serving Calgary
398 results: electricians serving Calgary
380 results: arborist serving Calgary
454 results: landscapers serving Calgary

What about the banks, or timmies, or mcpuke?
Or are only mobile companies affected?
What about the uniform companys, or the water cooler guys, or fedex or or or.... well you get my point.

[Walleyes]

Unbelievable,, no doubt you are a little upset Tree.. A tax grab indeed..

[stinkynuts]

Wow that sucks what if you get a small bissness permit in Edmonton i belive that is all a small bissness needs. Can you get around your proablem by doing this.

[vcmm]

It's cheaper to risk the fine{if you do the math} What are the odds of getting fined 13 times.. That's just another reason that I left the city I grew up in and avoid it at all cost's
TAX GRABBING FRIGGIN MAGGOTS

[ksteed17]

Originally Posted by TreeGuy

And then the best quote of all, "You'll just have to pass the cost along to the consumer."

We were told the same thing by the by law officer in our town, i told him i hope hes our first customer. Although our business liscence is quite a bit cheaper than that.

[James M]

Originally Posted by TreeGuy

Did you know that if any city property is used to conduct business, you are required to have a $17.50 street use permit or face a $500.00 fine?

Basically, if you park in front of someone's house (or even the back lane) to do work, you are using city property and must have this permit. They can be issued either on a daily basis or annual (no other option), for a low, low fee of $6387.50 + GST.

So what is it for the permit? $17.50 or $6,387.50?

[75ft Arborist]

Oh that sucks! At least it's just a warning, and that's a pretty big expense for a small company. Our company has bought a yearly street use permit for as long as i can remember. But then they just photo copy the original and put them in all the trucks. Never had a problem with ayone checking for valid permits though.

[mooseknuckle]

Wish I could write off a other 6783.50 a year!! What's the problem? Business can't be that bad.

[TreeGuy]

Originally Posted by mooseknuckle

Wish I could write off a other 6783.50 a year!! What's the problem? Business can't be that bad.

What do you do, Moose. You may just qualify if you feel like volunteering.

75ft will be able to releate, but business has NOT been good. During the boom, it seemed like every goof with a pickup and a saw became a tree service. We came in on the low side (multiple bids...industry standard stuff) of a job late this past summer with a $20K bid. We got the job and the day before starting it were informed that another crew came in at $3750. So yeah, the past 24 months has been an incredible struggle........

[hal53]

Originally Posted by mooseknuckle

Wish I could write off a other 6783.50 a year!! What's the problem? Business can't be that bad.

the point is...you have to pay the 6783.50 out of your business account in after tax dollars that comes off the bottom line along with other never ending expenses...as much as everyone says the small businesses are the back bone of the economy, the gov't does everything they can to make sure you fail...that 6.3k could likely be better utilized for Tree to pay a seasonal employee his wages for a portion of the year, rather than throwing it in the dark hole of City Hall in Calgary....Man! I'm glad I got out of there!!!

[mooseknuckle]

Originally Posted by hal53

the point is...you have to pay the 6783.50 out of your business account in after tax dollars that comes off the bottom line along with other never ending expenses...as much as everyone says the small businesses are the back bone of the economy, the gov't does everything they can to make sure you fail...that 6.3k could likely be better utilized for Tree to pay a seasonal employee his wages for a portion of the year, rather than throwing it in the dark hole of City Hall in Calgary....Man! I'm glad I got out of there!!!

Fair enough however business pays around 20% personal is around 40%. with the right bean counter a business owner can take a chink of that.

[mtylerb]

Originally Posted by mooseknuckle

Fair enough however business pays around 20% personal is around 40%. with the right bean counter a business owner can take a chink of that.

All depends on whether you're incorporated or not.

[crazyfish]

Sorry to hear you had a bad day, at least you got a warning !!! I think i saw you having your fun with the bylaw guy ! Just off 16 th ave ? So ....plans for the yearly pass ???? ouch !