Calculate your British Columbia tax credits on Form T1C (B.C.), British Columbia Tax Credits, which we have included with this package. You can find information about the British Columbia sales tax credit and political contribution tax credit on the back of Form T1C (B.C.).

Employee share ownership plan tax credit

You can claim this credit if you acquired shares under a registered British Columbia employee share ownership plan (ESOP) at any time in 1999, or in the first 60 days of 2000.

You will receive Form ESOP 20 as evidence of your investment(s) and entitlement to the tax credit. It shows the date you bought your shares under "investment date."

Enter on line 18 of Form T1C (B.C.) the tax credit amount shown on Form ESOP 20. Include these forms with your return or, if you are using EFILE, show them to your EFILE service provider.

Employee venture capital tax credit

You can claim this credit if you acquired or irrevocably subscribed and paid for shares from a registered British Columbia employee venture capital corporation (EVCC) at any time in 1999, or in the first 60 days of 2000.

You will receive Form EVCC 30 as evidence of your investment(s) and entitlement to the tax credit. It shows the date you bought your shares under "investment date." If the investment is made by a spousal RRSP, the tax credit may be claimed by either you or your spouse.

Enter on line 19 of Form T1C (B.C.) the tax credit amount shown on Form EVCC 30. Include these forms with your return or, if you are using EFILE, show them to your EFILE service provider.

If you bought shares from a registered EVCC, you are also eligible for a federal tax credit. For details, see lines 413 and 414 in the General Income Tax and Benefit Guide.

Total ESOP and EVCC tax credits you can claim

The maximum total of your ESOP and EVCC provincial tax credits that you can claim in 1999 is $2,000. The ESOP and EVCC tax credits that you do not claim in a year are not refundable, and you cannot carry them forward to future years.

If you bought ESOP or EVCC shares in the first 60 days of 2000, you can claim your tax credit on those shares on your 1999 or 2000 return, or you can divide the credit between these two returns. If you bought shares in the first 60 days of 2000, and the total of your ESOP and EVCC tax credits is more than $2,000, you can claim up to $2,000 on your 1999 return and the rest on your 2000 return.

Keep a record of how you claimed your tax credit. Write on the certificate the credit you are claiming on your 1999 return and the credit you will claim on your 2000 return. When you file your 2000 return, attach a photocopy of the original

certificate that shows the breakdown of your credit between your 1999 and 2000 returns. If you claim part of your EVCC or ESOP tax credit on your 1999 return, you cannot claim a tax credit for that part on your 2000 return.

Venture capital tax credit

If you acquired shares from a registered British Columbia venture capital corporation (VCC) at any time in 1999, you can claim this credit up to a maximum of $60,000 in 1999.

You will receive Form VCC 10 as evidence of your investment(s) and entitlement to the tax credit. It shows the date you bought your shares under "investment date."

Enter on line 26 of Form T1C (B.C.) the tax credit amount shown on Form VCC 10. Include these forms with your return or, if you are using EFILE, show them to your EFILE service provider.

Unused credit from previous years

Any unused venture capital tax credit from previous years is shown on your 1998 Notice of Assessment. Enter this amount on line 27 of Form T1C (B.C.).

We will show any amount available to carry forward to 2000 on your 1999 Notice of Assessment.

ESOP, EVCC, and VCC enquiries

If you bought shares under an employee share ownership plan, and you want to know if the plan is registered under the Employee Investment Act, ask your employer.

For questions about the employee venture capital tax credit, contact the employee venture capital corporation that issued your shares, your stockbroker, or your investment advisor.

For questions about the venture capital tax credit, contact the venture capital corporation that issued your shares, your stockbroker, or your investment advisor.

Mining exploration tax credit

You can claim this refundable tax credit if you were resident in British Columbia at the end of the year, and you incurred qualified mining exploration expenses in the province in 1999.

The expenses must be incurred for the purposes of determining the existence, location, extent, or quality of a mineral resource in British Columbia.

Enter on line 30 of Form T1C (B.C.) the tax credit amount calculated on Form T88, BC Mining Exploration Tax Credit. Include Form T1C (B.C.) and Form T88 with your return. If you are using EFILE, show them to your EFILE service provider.

For questions about the mining exploration tax credit, contact the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency. You can find the address and telephone numbers of your tax services office in the government section of your telephone book.