The federal government is hoping to give holiday shoppers a bit of relief at the tills.
The GST/HST break takes effect on certain items in Canada Saturday, December 14. The break will be in effect for two months, until Saturday, February 15.
Products that will see GST waived during the period include:
- Prepared foods, including vegetable trays, pre-made meals and salads, and sandwiches.
- Certain snacks, including chips, candy and granola bars.
- Beer, wine and cider, along with pre-mixed alcoholic beverages below seven percent alcohol by volume (ABV).
- Restaurant meals, including dine-in, take-out and delivery options.
- Clothing and footwear for children, as well as children’s car seats and diapers.
- Some children’s toys. These include board games, dolls, puzzles and video game consoles.
- Certain books and newspapers.
- Christmas and similar decorative trees.
There are some exemptions from the GST/HST break.
For instance, beverages and food sold from vending machines, edible cannabis products and drinks, and dietary supplements are not eligible for the relief.
No GST/HST will be charged on a qualifying item, as long as it is both paid for in full between Saturday, December 14 and Saturday, February 15, or delivered or made available to the buyer between those dates.
Imported goods qualify for the tax relief if they meet the other qualifying conditions.
The full list of items and qualifications is available at the federal government website.
