Are groceries taxed in Canada?

Basic groceries are zero-rated, so no GST or HST applies to them. Prepared food, snacks, soft drinks and restaurant meals are taxed.

What is the combined sales tax rate in Quebec?

14.975%: the 5% federal GST plus the 9.975% QST. Since 2013 the QST is calculated on the price without GST, so the two taxes simply add up.

When did Nova Scotia's HST change to 14%?

April 1, 2025. Nova Scotia lowered the provincial part of its HST from 10% to 9%, bringing the combined HST from 15% to 14%.

Canada Sales Tax Calculator 2026 — GST, HST, PST & QST by Province

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Price before tax ($)

Sales tax rates by province and territory — 2026

Province / territory	Rates	Combined	System
Alberta	5%	5%	GST only
British Columbia	5% + 7%	12%	GST + PST
Manitoba	5% + 7%	12%	GST + RST
New Brunswick	15%	15%	HST
Newfoundland and Labrador	15%	15%	HST
Nova Scotia	14%	14%	HST
Ontario	13%	13%	HST
Prince Edward Island	15%	15%	HST
Quebec	5% + 9.975%	14.975%	GST + QST
Saskatchewan	5% + 6%	11%	GST + PST
Northwest Territories	5%	5%	GST only
Nunavut	5%	5%	GST only
Yukon	5%	5%	GST only

General rates for most goods and services. Some items are exempt or zero-rated — see the questions below.

Three systems, one country

Canada does not have one sales tax — it has three systems side by side:

GST only (5%) — Alberta and the three territories have no provincial sales tax, so you pay only the federal 5% GST.
HST — Ontario (13%), Nova Scotia (14%), New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island (15%) merged the federal and provincial taxes into one harmonized tax.
GST + a separate provincial tax — British Columbia (7% PST), Saskatchewan (6% PST), Manitoba (7% RST) and Quebec (9.975% QST) charge their own tax next to the 5% GST.

Nova Scotia is the most recent change: its HST dropped from 15% to 14% on April 1, 2025.

Why Quebec's rate is 14.975%

Quebec charges the 5% GST plus its own QST of 9.975%. Since 2013, the QST is calculated on the price without the GST — there is no tax on tax — so the two rates simply add up to 14.975%. On a $100 purchase in Quebec you pay $5.00 of GST and $9.98 of QST, $114.98 in total.

Common questions

Which province's tax do I pay when I buy online from another province?

Generally the rate of the province where the goods are delivered. The place-of-supply rules charge the tax of the destination, not of the seller's province — order from Ontario to Quebec and the Quebec rates apply.

Are groceries taxed?

Basic groceries are zero-rated: no GST or HST. Prepared food, snacks, soft drinks and restaurant meals are taxed at the full rate of your province.

How do I find the tax inside a price that already includes it?

Use "Remove tax from a total" above: enter the full amount and the calculator splits it back into the price before tax and each tax separately — useful for receipts, invoices and expense reports.

Do these rates apply to everything?

No. These are the general rates. Some goods and services are exempt or zero-rated — basic groceries, most health and dental services, residential rent and child care, among others. When in doubt, check with the CRA or Revenu Québec.

A free tool from next-step-info.com — rates verified against the Canada Revenue Agency, November 2026.

Estimates for general information only, not tax advice. Rates are the general 2026 rates; specific goods and services can be taxed differently.