Ontario Tax Rebate. Lease end purchase = extra tax rebate?

I have a Prius 2004. I claimed $1000 for my RST tax rebate on the lease.

In 2007 I purchased the car. According to the 702 RST Guide - Vehicles Powered by Alternative Fuels:

Does that mean I can claim the tax on my purchase, because I have now purchased a used hybrid car? I note that the total combined tax rebate, including the amount claimed for the lease and the potential amount claimed for the lease end purchase, would still be less than the $2000 maximum for the RST rebate under the 2006 guidelines.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimN @ Feb 24 2007, 12:01 AM) [snapback]395660[/snapback]</div>

In our province of Ontario it does qualify, as there is a provision for "dual-powered" vehicles. The law used to exclude hybrids, but a half dozen years ago was specifically changed to include hybrids. Then, in 2006, the maximum rebate allowed was changed from $1000 to $2000. The form is attached below.

[attachmentid=6681]
What I was just wondering if it's reasonable to claim the retail sales tax (RST) rebate for the purchase of the remainder of a lease.

Facts:

1) When my car came out, the max RST rebate amount was $1000.
2) The RST rebate amount is now $2000 max (as of 2006).
3) The RST rebate applies to leased hybrids, new hybrid purchases and used hybrid purchases.
4) A while back I claimed $1000 off my lease (after around 2 years, since that's how long it took to accumulate $1000 worth of RST). This was when the max claimable was $1000.
5) When my purchased the remainder of my lease in 2007 (after the max rebate was increased to $2000), I spent another $900+ in RST, which I'm thinking I might be able to claim now. If I did claim the additional RST amount from my purchase of 2007, my total claimed would still be less than the maximum of $2000.

I think this may be worth a shot. At least with my uneducated interpretation of the form, I meet all the criteria to be able to claim the additional $900+.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sarge @ Feb 25 2007, 08:27 PM) [snapback]396462[/snapback]</div>

Yes, lease agreements would also have this stamped on them, if a claim was made for the Ontario RST charged with the lease.

However, the lease is terminated and I have purchased the car, and was issued a new bill of sale for the purchase.

The application form's documentation specifically states that the rebate applies to used car purchases, not just new purchases. Thus, I believe it makes sense to apply since I have truly purchased a used car.

 

I wonder how long it will be before I find out. Last time it took many, many weeks. So far this time it's been 3 weeks since they received my applications.

Fingers crossed...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(vkykam @ Mar 26 2007, 10:01 PM) [snapback]412644[/snapback]</div>

Sounds good to me. Thanks for the encouragement.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sarge @ Mar 27 2007, 04:25 PM) [snapback]413116[/snapback]</div>

Damn those bureaucrats. They really trying to make me buy a new Prius aren't they?

For a Prius purchased in Ontario that means whopping $4000 off.

Maybe I'll get a new Prius once a redesigned model comes out, but I was originally planning on keeping this car at least until 2010.

 

It's 3 months now and I'm still waiting.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sarge @ May 25 2007, 01:04 PM) [snapback]449889[/snapback]</div>

Well, I called them, and they say they have no evidence that the application was ever received. <_<

I think they're just overrun with paperwork. I'm checking my previous correspondence, and they did the same thing last time. I submitted one in Jan one year, and by May that year I still hadn't received anything. I had to resend copies of my documentation, and then eventually I got my money (and original documentation) back. So, I've done that again. I've resubmitted copies of all of documentation for this current application too.

People MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MULTIPLE COPIES OF ALL YOUR ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS. The good news though is that now they are accepting copies. I wonder if they have been losing too many originals...

P.S. Not that the person on the phone is a sales tax lawyer or anything, but he thinks I may in fact be eligible for the additional rebate, as we hoped/expected. We shall see.

 

I got the rebate cheque today. w00t!!! B)

Actually, they had initially denied the rebate but then upon re-review (when they received my paperwork again the second time - because they had originally lost my first batch of paperwork), they decided to grant me the rebate after all. I guess it pays to be persistent.

BTW, they were even more generous than I had asked for on the application. It turns out I had mistakenly claimed the GST amount instead of the PST. So, they corrected that and refunded me the PST instead... and the PST amount is significantly higher.