Canada Post Expedited Parcels from BC - Now Charging HST???

[teenytrinkets]

I ship all my parcels at the counter with my small biz discount. I don't really save much since I mostly ship to the US untracked or CAD lettermail. So I have never really been paying attention to the tax charged when I ship out parcels.

I have had a lot of larger Canadian sales lately and shipped expedited...and I noticed I've been charged HST to the Eastern provinces... (only GST in the West) but I live in BC! I thought taxes on shipping were calculated on where you're shipping from - not where you're shipping to. Can someone help clarify?

Note: based on my review of postal receipts, this wasn't an issue in 2018 ... only GST charged on biz Expedited Parcel to the east. I've only started being charged HST in 2019.

[ichopshop]

These links should help answer your question.  I think the issue is you're shipping as a business.

https://www.canadapost.ca/web/en/kb/details.page?article=collecting_sales_tax&cattype=kb&cat=general...

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/GST-HST-on-shipping/td-p/321879

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/canadapost-charges-hst-something-shipped-toronto-162837/

[teenytrinkets]

Thanks for posting those links - I've seen them already but they're old and don't explain my situation.

The Canada Post site says I should only be charged GST if shipping parcels from BC to anywhere in Canada... I've seen this site too -that's why I'm confused.

Since that site says "consumer" ot is a reasonable explanation that all businesses in BC that ship to "HST provinces" pay the HST on shipping - I just can't find that in writing anywhere!

If that is the case, it's good to know for the future, since the extra 8%+ in taxes is more than the measly 5% discount I get. Good grief!!!

[pocomocomputing]

Tax rate is charged on the destination province rate for Expedited Parcel which is a business rate, not on your location in BC. Your Canada Post discount card is a business card.

If you used Regular Parcel, it is a consumer service and sending location is used.

The way GST HST since it was introduced because it is a business tax.