Explainer: What’s Included in the GST Holiday Break?

Ottawa announced plans this week to implement a GST break on items like groceries, children’s clothing, and alcohol in a so-called bid to “put more money in people’s pockets” during the upcoming holiday season.
Items exempt during the proposed tax holiday between Dec. 14, 2024, and Feb. 15, 2025, include “holiday essentials” such as groceries, restaurant meals, beer, wine, and certain items for children such as clothing, footwear, diapers, and toys. Christmas trees will also be tax-free.
Removing the federal sales tax from these goods for a two-month period would save $100 for a family that spends $2,000 on those goods during that time, Ottawa said in a release. …