Ontario
13%
13% HST · rank #8
- System
- Harmonized Sales Tax (HST)
- Tax on $1,000
- $130.00
- After tax
- $1,130.00
2026Ontario vs British Columbia GST/HST
British Columbia is lower by 1% — about $10.00 less tax on $1,000 taxable purchase (before tax). Compare combined sales tax on taxable purchases using CRA rates.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
Lower combined sales tax
British Columbia is lower
12% vs 13% — about $10.00 less on $1,000 taxable purchase (before tax).
Side-by-side scoreboard
British Columbia
12%
5% GST + 7% PST · rank #6
- System
- GST + Provincial Sales Tax (PST)
- Tax on $1,000
- $120.00
- After tax
- $1,120.00
Tax by purchase amount
| Pre-tax | Ontario | British Columbia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50.00 | $6.50 | $6.00 | $0.50 |
| $100.00 | $13.00 | $12.00 | $1.00 |
| $250.00 | $32.50 | $30.00 | $2.50 |
| $1,000.00 | $130.00 | $120.00 | $10.00 |
| $5,000.00 | $650.00 | $600.00 | $50.00 |
| $10,000.00 | $1,300.00 | $1,200.00 | $100.00 |
Key takeaways
- British Columbia is lower by 1% — about $10.00 less tax on $1,000 taxable purchase (before tax).
- Ontario: 13% HST (Harmonized Sales Tax (HST)). British Columbia: 5% GST + 7% PST (GST + Provincial Sales Tax (PST)).
- Ontario collects more on the same pre-tax taxable price under the CRA general rates.
- This compares general taxable rates — not income tax, property tax, or land transfer tax.
- Confirm zero-rated/exempt treatment and place of supply before quoting a customer.
- Small-supplier registration for most businesses still turns on the $30,000 four-quarter threshold — not which province has the lower shelf rate.
How to read Ontario vs British Columbia
Both columns use CRA general taxable combined rates on the same pre-tax amount. HST provinces show one rate; GST+PST/QST/RST provinces add federal and provincial layers on that same base.
British Columbia keeps more of each taxable dollar on this vignette. Scale the gap with the purchase ladder — it grows linearly with pre-tax price at these flat rates.
Where HST applies, invoices should show the total HST rate without splitting federal and provincial portions (CRA receipts guidance).
What this compare does not include
Income tax, CPP/QPP, property tax, and land transfer / welcome tax.
Zero-rated and exempt supplies (e.g. basic groceries at 0% GST/HST nationwide).
Special excise or product-specific levies. Personalize any amount in the GST/HST calculator.
Place of supply still matters
Rate follows place of supply
CRA sets the GST/HST rate from where the sale, lease, or other supply is considered made — not automatically from your business address.
Goods delivered to another province
CRA example: a Vancouver furniture store delivers a mattress to Toronto and charges 13% HST because the place of supply is Ontario.
Delivery vs customer pickup
CRA example: a Winnipeg store sells a $1,000 laptop. Delivered to Halifax → 14% HST. Customer picks up in Winnipeg → 5% GST + 7% RST (GST + Manitoba RST).
Common myths vs CRA rules
“Alberta has no sales tax at all.”
Alberta has no provincial sales tax, but the 5% federal GST still applies on taxable supplies — the combined rate is 5%, not 0%.
“I always charge my home province’s rate.”
CRA place-of-supply rules decide the rate. Example: a Vancouver furniture store delivering a mattress to Toronto charges Ontario’s 13% HST, not BC’s GST+PST.
“HST and GST+PST are calculated differently on the same price.”
For standard taxable goods, CRA applies GST on the price without PST; HST is a single combined rate on the same pre-tax consideration. QST has used the GST base since 2013.
“Nova Scotia is still 15% HST.”
As of April 1, 2025, Nova Scotia HST is 14% HST (provincial portion 9%). Older 15% figures are outdated for post-cut supplies — see Notices 342 and 343.
Glossary
- GST
- Goods and Services Tax — federal 5% tax on most taxable supplies across Canada.
- HST
- Harmonized Sales Tax — single combined federal+provincial rate in participating provinces (ON, NB, NL, NS, PE).
- PST / RST / QST
- Provincial retail taxes charged with GST outside HST provinces (PST in BC/SK, RST in Manitoba, QST in Quebec).
- Combined rate
- Total percent applied to the pre-tax price for a general taxable supply (HST rate, or GST + provincial rate).
- Place of supply
- Where CRA considers a sale, lease, or other supply made — it determines which province’s GST/HST (and PST) rate applies.
- Zero-rated supply
- Taxable at 0% GST/HST everywhere in Canada (e.g. basic groceries). Still a taxable supply for registration and ITC purposes.
- Exempt supply
- Not subject to GST/HST (and generally no ITCs on related inputs). Examples can include certain health, education, and financial services — confirm on CRA.
- Small supplier
- Most businesses stay small suppliers while taxable supplies stay at or under $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters (special rules for charities, taxi/ride-sharing, and some events).
- Input tax credit (ITC)
- GST/HST registrants can generally recover GST/HST paid on eligible business purchases, with supporting invoices. Provincial PST/RST recovery rules differ.
Compare another pair
Compare any two provinces
Combined GST/HST/PST rates and tax on a $1,000 taxable purchase.
Related comparisons
FAQs
British Columbia is lower by 1% ($10.00 less tax on $1,000 taxable purchase (before tax)). Ontario: 13% HST. British Columbia: 5% GST + 7% PST.
Ontario uses Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). British Columbia uses GST + Provincial Sales Tax (PST).
About $1.00 — $13.00 in Ontario vs $12.00 in British Columbia.
No. Rankings use the general taxable combined rate from the CRA table. Basic groceries are zero-rated (0% GST/HST) nationwide; other exempt/zero-rated supplies follow CRA type-of-supply rules.
No. CRA place-of-supply rules decide the rate. Example: a Vancouver store delivering a mattress to Toronto charges Ontario’s 13% HST, not BC’s GST+PST.
If HST applies, show the total HST rate. Do not show the federal and provincial parts separately (CRA receipts and invoices guidance).
Calculate any amount
Add or remove GST/HST for Ontario or British Columbia in the calculator.