What is the GST/HST Tax Break?
The Government of Canada has announced a measure to provide GST/HST relief on certain items between December 14, 2024 to February 15, 2025.
More details can be found on the Government of Canada website : https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/child-and-family-benefits/gst-hst-holiday-tax-break.html#toc0
Which items are tax exempt
The following categories of goods sold at Staples are included in the federal tax exemption:
- Snacks: chips, candy (excluding throat lozenges), baked goods, fruit-based treats, and granola bars.
- A gift basket that contains food and other items, if 90% or more of the total value of the basket corresponds to items that would have no GST/HST charged on them if they were supplied separately
- Non-alcoholic beverages: coffee, tea, carbonated drinks, juices, and smoothies
- Children's toys (intended for toys marketed for children under 14):
- Games:
- Board games with physical components and rules, including replacement parts and add-on components such as dice
- Card games, including playing cards and Pokémon cards
- Toys, toy sets and toy systems:
- that imitate another item, whether real or imaginary
- that involve building, creating or assembling structures, objects or models by using pieces, parts, materials or modelling compound
- that require sorting, stacking or organizing pieces, parts or materials
- Dolls, plush toys and soft toys and their accessories
- Games:
- Jigsaw puzzles (for people of all ages)
- Game consoles designed primarily for playing video games
- Controllers designed primarily for playing video games on a qualifying video game console
- Physical video games, in a tangible format designed for the read-only storage of information in digital format, that contains a video game designed for use with a qualifying video game console (for example, game cartridges)
- Most published, printed books (hardcover or softcover)
- Updates of printed books
- Guide books, and atlases that do not focus primarily on street or road maps
- Printed books that are wrapped or packaged for sale as a single item with a physical read-only medium that either reproduces the book or includes material specifically related to it.
The full selection of qualifying Staples products can be found here:
https://www.staples.ca/collections/gst-hst-tax-break-59956
The full selection of tax-exempt items can be found here:
When is it?
When does the tax exemption take place?
From December 14, 2024, to February 15, 2025.
Available in Store or Online?
Does this work in stores and online?
Yes, the tax exemption applies at all Staples store locations and most online sites (Staples.ca, Bureauengros.ca, Denis.ca, Beatties.com).
Coupon Needed?
Is a coupon code required to apply a discount to the taxes on a purchase?
Shoppers automatically receive this tax break on qualifying purchases, with no GST/HST charged at checkout. Point-of-Sale systems will be updated to reflect necessary changes.
Items bought before the tax break
Are items bought before December 14th eligible for the GST/HST Holiday tax break?
No. The government legislation states that the purchase, full payment and receipt of the item by the customer must take place between December 14, 2024, and February 15, 2025. It does not allow for refund of GST or HST on prior purchases.
Purchase & Return Scenarios
What happens if an item is purchased before the tax break and is returned during the tax break?
Returns on qualifying items purchased prior to the tax break will be refunded for the full value of taxes paid on the original purchase.
What happens if an item is purchased during the tax break and is returned after the exemption ends?
Items purchased without taxes will be refunded at the original purchase price without taxes added.
What if I purchase something during the tax break, but do not receive it until after the tax break ends?
As long as the qualifying item was paid in full and shipped during the tax break, it will still qualify if received after the tax break ends.
Ship to a different province
What happens if a product was purchased in one province or territory but shipped to an address in another province or territory? What taxes will be charged?
Taxes will be calculated based on the shipping destination (where the order is to be delivered).
Provinces and tax types
Provinces with HST only
In provinces with HST (Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island) how are taxes calculated?
Qualifying items will be exempt from the full HST amount in those provinces.
Provinces with PST & GST
In provinces and territories with PST and GST (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Yukon) how are taxes calculated?
Items included will be exempt from GST but not PST or QST.