The Ontario government will harmonized the provincial sales tax with the federal goods and services tax (GST) on July 1st, 2010. As a result, Ontario businesses will receive input tax credits (ITCs) of 13 per cent of the new harmonized sales tax (HST), rather than just 5 per cent under the current GST system. In short, business will essentially be able to claim all 13% of their sales taxes back.
However, not all businesses in Ontario will benefit immediately from the new single, valued-added tax. Specifically, businesses with annual taxable supplies greater than $10 million, as well as certain financial institutions, will be restricted from claiming input tax credits (ITCs) for the provincial portion (currently 8 per cent) of the HST, until 2015.
The restricted ITCs, it should be noted, are only on a few business inputs, such as certain uses of energy; certain telecommunications services; certain road vehicles and their fuel; and food, beverages and entertainment. The restrictions will be in place for the first five years of the HST, after which ITCs on the exempt items will be phased out over the following 3 year period.
Further details on which businesses and financial institutions are affected, as well as to affected business inputs, is now available through the Ministry of Revenue.
For more information on the OCC’s tax reform efforts on behalf of members, please contact Derek Picard, Senior Policy Analyst, 416-482-5222 or derek.picard@occ.on.ca.
