Sales taxes in Canada

In Canada, three types of sales taxes are levied. These are as follows:

Every province except Alberta has implemented either a provincial sales tax or the Harmonized Sales Tax. The federal GST rate is 5 percent, effective January 1, 2008.

The territories of Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut do not have either the HST or territorial sales taxes. Only the GST is collected. The three northern jurisdictions are heavily subsidized by the federal government, and its residents receive some additional tax concessions due to the high cost of living in the north.[1]

Provincial sales taxes

Separate Provincial Sales Taxes (PST) are collected in the provinces of Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Quebec (Quebec Sales Tax or QST, French: Taxe de vente du Québec or TVQ), and Saskatchewan. Goods to which the tax is applied vary by province, as does the rate. Moreover, for those provinces whose provincial sales tax is applied to the combined cost and GST, provincial revenues decline or increase with respective changes in the GST. Of the provincial sales taxes, only the QST (and the HST) are value-added; the rest are cascading taxes.

Province Type Prov. rate (%) Combined fed./prov. rate (%) Notes
Alberta GST 0 5 There is a 4% tax on lodging.
British Columbia HST 7 12
Manitoba GST + PST 7 12[2]
New Brunswick HST 8 13
Newfoundland and Labrador HST 8 13
Northwest Territories GST 0 5
Nova Scotia HST 10 15[3]
Nunavut GST 0 5
Ontario HST 8 13
Prince Edward Island GST + PST 10.5 effective
10 nominal
15.5 eff.
15 nom.[4]
Provincial rate is nominally 10%, but is also applied to federal 5% GST. Effective provincial rate is 10.5%.
Quebec GST + QST 9.975 effective
9.5 nominal
14.975 eff.
14.5 nom.[5]
Provincial rate is nominally 9.5%, but is also applied to federal 5% GST. Effective provincial rate is 9.975%.
Saskatchewan GST + PST 5 10[6] There is a separate 10% liquor consumption tax. The non-alcoholic portion of a restaurant meal is not taxed.
Yukon GST 0 5


References

  1. ^ Taxtips.ca
  2. ^ "Retail Sales Tax". Manitoba Finance. Manitoba Ministry of Finance. 2009. http://www.gov.mb.ca/finance/taxation/taxes/retail.html. Retrieved 2009-09-26. 
  3. ^ "HST hike highlights N.S. budget". CBC News. 6 April 2010. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2010/04/06/ns-budget.html. Retrieved 2010-04-06. 
  4. ^ Public Treasury, Prince Edward Island Department of (2008-01-07). "Tax and Land Information Website: Revenue Tax (PST)". http://www.gov.pe.ca/pt/taxandland/index.php3?number=76948&lang=E. Retrieved 2009-09-26. 
  5. ^ "QST and GST/HST". Revenu Quebec. http://www.revenu.gouv.qc.ca/en/entreprise/taxes/tvq_tps/default.aspx. Retrieved 2010-12-14. 
  6. ^ "Provincial Sales Tax - Finance". Saskatchewan Ministry of Finance. 2007. http://www.finance.gov.sk.ca/taxes/pst/\. Retrieved 2009-09-26. 

External links