GoCanes

So, I just got back from a trip to Montreal and Quebec City for the labor day holiday and was astonished to see that the Canadian government is no longer accepting tax refunds for visitors who come after April 1, 2007. No where is this posted when you enter the country, the hotels and stores post nothing and it is not even posted at the tourist centers.

First off, this sucks because the Canadian taxes are through the roof. Much highers than those in the US. And couple that with the crappy US dollar these days, it makes Canada no longer a great deal.

Also, the merchants in all the Canadian stores are still telling foreign visitors that they can get the tax back. So, the stores are not advertising that the tax rebate is no longer in effect (ie they should have to post a bulletin at the register) and then using it still as a tactic to get foreign sales. I really think Canada sucks for this. If they wanted to kill tourism to their country, they just did.

I know for sure that I will not being going back to Canada any time soon. Does anyone think this had to do with the Olympics coming to Vancouver?

Aviatrix

If you take this line of thinking to its logical conclusion then no one should ever visit the USA as a tourist.

The USA doesn't give tax refunds (nor do most other countries), so why should Canada?

GoCanes

My issue is not so much that they do not give the refunds, it is that they did and then stopped and do not properly inform people when entering the country the law changed. And more annoying is the merchants who tell tourists that they are still getting the refund in order to close the deal. At least when I go to other countries, I know I won't get it back and I can make educated decisions on my purchases. However, I anticipated getting back money on hotel and goods that I may have chosen differently had I known.

All I am asking is for them to be more upfront and educate tourists better when they change a rule like information at the entry points and at merchant stores or tourist information centers. I think that is a fair request. I really don't need to fund Canada's healthcare system with the almost 15% tax rate I paid on goods. I can just buy them here in the US.

Jay71

I remember hearing about this change when the government announced it in their budget. It's a minority government so who can they afford to give the shaft to? Visitors who can't vote.

To be honest, I didn't know when it went into effect because it doesn't affect me. However, it's really unfortunate that stores aren't giving out the right info.

Bytepusher

This was announced on Sept 24 last year but didn't come into effect until April 1

Frankly I'm surprised that retailers were still using it as a sales technique, that's either woefully poor staff training or grade A weaslery, unfortunately I suspect the latter.

Reindeerflame

Well, no one entering the U.S. is advised that the 4th Amendment has been repealed, either.

trilinearmipmap

You're absolutely right to be outraged at having to pay taxes on your purchases in Canada.

Of course you didn't make use of any public facilities or infrastructure during your visit, such as roads or airports. I imagine you didn't eat any food or breathe any air, or go out in public anywhere, so you shouldn't have to pay for the costs involved in making sure our food, water, and air are clean and safe, or pay the cost of policing to make your visit a secure one.

I am sure if you suffered a medical emergency in Canada you would never have shown up at a (publicly funded) hospital ER requesting treatment. And if you did I am sure you would have paid your bill in full promptly.

When I go to the USA I play by their rules, like it or not. Our rules in Canada include a reasonable level of taxation to provide a reasonable level of public services. If you don't like it, stay home.

Braindrain

Am I the only one that sees the irony in this?

CousinNick

It sounds like the OP was more upset about the lack of notice and the flim-flams the businesspeople were pulling than anything.

CousinNick

As a wise person on this thread stated: If you don't like it, stay home.

GoCanes

I think you did miss the point of my issue... I don't mind paying, just "properly" let me know is all if a law is changed. Obviously Canada utilized the refund incentive to spur tourism... so if they took it away, I want to know... the fact it existed made shopping in Canada all that much more appealing to me. And by the way, do you know if non-Canadian citizens have the same right to Canadian socialized health care??? Please let us know as a short drive may be well worth it! And lastly, 15% sales tax hardly seems reasonable to me.

Sarah DDS

For those who live off the teat of the government, as AFSCME members do in the US, and as a previous poster probably does in Canada, 15% is quite reasonable.

GoCanes

Quite reasonable indeed - furthermore, if you pay with an affinity credit card, look at all those extra miles you would get... like 15,000 more for every $100,000 you spend. Man, what a place!

TeaAddict

I had a similar experience (though not quite as extreme a reaction) in British Columbia in May. There really isn't any notice of the change -- and a lot of merchants still promote the tax refund and even hand you the brochure. It wasn't until I stopped in the duty free at the border that I was told about the change -- and even there, there was no sign, just an employee told me. I would hope that's changed by now, but it doesn't shock me that it hasn't.

I don't know that this will have as big an impact as the weaker dollar/stronger loonie but it is true that together, I would expect to see U.S. travel to Canada go down. That may not be the end of the world -- both these changes are signs of a stronger Canadian economy, and I suspect that the benefits they bring to ordinary Canadians are more than the impact of U.S. tourism dollars. That said, I suspect some individuals who do depend on U.S. business will feel the pinch -- at least until they can target other tourists more effectively.

One change I know for me will be that I will no longer purchase art in Canada -- it's still tax-free if it's shipped outside the country, and the shipping is usually cheaper than the tax. So maybe the hoteliers' loss is the shippers' gain, eh?

fairviewroad

If retailers are still promoting the rebate, it may be worth a call to the Canadian (or provincial) version of the Attorney General's office. Intentional or not, it is a deceptive trade practice. If you care about it that much, take some tangible action. If it happened to me, I would be upset too.

More broadly, I don't think this is going to stop the average Joe/Jane American from going to Canada. I'd wager that the vast majority of Americans did not know about the tax rebate in the first place. Of those that did, it would be a precious few who actually took the time to apply for it. I've traveled to Canada many times, but only applied for the rebate once. And a few weeks later I got a check in the mail for something like $23. Whoop-de-doo. I'm sure there are some people who will turn up their noses at Canada because of this, but I just don't see it having a substantive effect.