Blog
Short, practical articles on calculating GST and QST, for cases that go beyond a simple receipt calculation.
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Real estateWelcome Tax: Calculating Land Transfer Duties in Quebec
A graduated calculation, not a flat rate, with the Montreal and Quebec City brackets above $500,000.
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ProvincesCalculating Sales Tax in Ontario: the 13% HST
A single tax instead of two, and the place-of-supply rule: which province to charge when selling from Quebec into Ontario.
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LodgingCalculating Quebec's Lodging Tax (3.5%)
It's calculated on the room rate only, and GST and QST are then applied on top. Full worked example.
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Tax filingCalculating GST or QST on Their Own
Isolate just one of Quebec's two taxes, without going through the 14.975% combined rate, useful for a tax return or an out-of-province purchase.
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Tools
GST and QST Formula for Excel and Google Sheets
The exact formulas to copy into a spreadsheet, with the cent rounding that's missed most often, for all thirteen provinces and territories.
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Business
Calculating Tax on a Self-Employed Worker's Invoice
The $30,000 registration threshold, mandatory information on the invoice, and a full worked example.
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VehiclesCalculating Tax on a Used Car in Quebec
For a private sale between individuals, only QST applies, calculated on the sale price or the vehicle's estimated value, whichever is higher.
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More frequently asked questions about GST and QST are gathered in the FAQ, and the full explanation of how sales tax works is in the sales tax guide.