Canadians will no longer have to pay GST or HST on some items this holiday season, the prime minister vowed Thursday.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the news at a morning press conference, promising relief for Canadians still struggling with cost-of-living concerns. The tax cuts still need to be approved by the House of Representatives and will last for two months.
Here is the complete list of items eligible for tax relief:
food and drink
- alcoholic drinks. However, this is limited to wine, beer, cider, and spirits with an alcohol content of up to 7%.
- Candies, such as cotton candy, chewing gum, and chocolate, and fruits, seeds, nuts, or popcorn coated or treated with candy, chocolate, honey, molasses, sugar, syrup, or artificial sweeteners
- Salty snacks such as chips, potato chips, puffs, curls, sticks, popcorn, crumbly pretzels, and salted nuts and seeds
- Granola products and snack mixtures including cereals, nuts, seeds, dried fruits and other edible products
- Popsicles, juice bars, ice water, ice cream, iced milk, sorbet, frozen yogurt or frozen pudding (including non-dairy alternatives)
- Fruit bars, rolls, drops, or similar fruit-based snack foods
- Cakes, muffins, pies, pastries, tarts, cookies, donuts, brownies, and croissants with sweet fillings or coatings
- Puddings (including flavored gelatins, mousses, flavored whipped dessert products, or other products similar to puddings)
- Arrangements of prepared salads, sandwiches, cheese platters, cold cuts, fruits and vegetables, and other prepared foods
- Food or beverages heated for consumption, beverages dispensed at points of sale, and beverages purchased as part of catering services.
things and games for kids
- Children’s clothing (clothing for girls up to size 16 or boys up to size 20, baby bibs, socks, hosiery, hats, mittens, gloves, scarves, shoes, etc.)
- children’s diapers
- child car seat
- Children’s toys and jigsaw puzzles designed for children under 14 years old
- Video game consoles, controllers, and video game packaging
literature and trees
- print newspaper
- printed books and audiobooks
- christmas tree
What is GST?
GST stands for Goods and Services Tax and is a federal tax that applies to most, if not all, goods and services in Canada.
In New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and PEI, GST is blended with provincial sales tax and is called the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). GST/HST rates range from 5% to 15% depending on the situation. the prefecture you live in.
The tax does not apply to what the government calls “basic food items,” which include fresh, frozen, canned and sealed fruit and vegetables, cereals, most dairy products, raw meat, poultry, fish, Contains eggs and coffee. Sweeteners and other basic ingredients are also tax-free.
