Just 5% of small businesses saw a sales boost from the GST/HST holiday: CFIB

Donoreo

"As the two-month GST/HST holiday comes to an end, only 5% of small businesses saw stronger sales compared to the same period last year, reported the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) on Tuesday.

Among those, only 4% of businesses in retail and 15% hospitality saw an increase in their sales, it said."

https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2025/02/just-5-of-small-businesses-saw-a-sales-boost-from-the-gst-hst-holiday-cfib/

AppleGuy

Donoreo seems people are as addicted to junk food as previously thought. I really didn't change my routine. Overpaying for substandard food isn't better with tax relief. I would have preferred tax relief on home heating and electricity -- things people can't live without.

Thane_Bitter

Seems to echo what many posters here talked about, they ate out more (or ordered in/takeaway) and applied the savings as a tip to the server/cook.

Donoreo

Thane_Bitter Yes, it does. I didn't, in fact we probably ate out less than normal for various reasons.

Donoreo

AppleGuy seems people are as addicted to junk food as previously thought

Skip or whomever do not just deliver crap fast food. But also, yeah.

AppleGuy

Donoreo I went to Swiss Chalet once, that was the limit of my junk food. Though I did enjoy the discount. I just don't eat out like I used to. Things are too expensive to justify eating out when I can make food at home. Only thing I can't really make is chicken wings, which I need to learn how to properly.

Guy54435

AppleGuy Amazing and Easy Chicken Wings
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/230873/amazing-and-easy-chicken-wings/

FrathosCAN

I decided to go to the LCBO on Friday to buy two more bottles of red wine of one of the previous two that I bought 9 days earlier since I enjoyed it.

I noticed this time that the store had signs up saying that the HST on eligible products would be adjusted at the cash register. My receipt however showed no adjustment for the wine (14% is less than 22% & therefore should be eligible) similar to last purchase. The new receipt did have one difference from previous purchase, it did not include the statement "HST 13% included..." which was there presumably for the additional whisky I bought on first visit.

Conclusion: As the prices shown on the shelves of products is the same as what is shown on the receipt, it appears that the LCBO has NOT in fact made any HST adjustment for wine purchases below 22% ABV. Looks like a scam to me! 🫤

FrathosCAN

FrathosCAN I went to the LCBO yesterday to check on the price of the red wine I bought during the GST/HST tax holiday & found that it was now 14.2 % more expensive. So, maybe the posted price was adjusted lower during the tax holiday & why there was no adjustment at the register as their posted signs suggested.

It also seems that the LCBO may have taken the end of the tax holiday as an opportunity to increase the price beyond the 13% HST that was temporarily removed (ie by an extra 1.2 %).