i'm going to make a large purchase in canada next month and am interested in getting both the federal and provincial taxes refunded. should i make the purchase in toronto or montreal? how do i request the refund? thanks for your input. tom

When we were in Canada last year, we picked up the Tax Refund form at the Duty Free Shop at the border. Although we did not make any major purchases, we did request, and did receive, the refund for taxes we paid on hotels.

Something must have changed. We were in BC in 1996. When we tried to get a refund of the GST etc., they said that there was no refund for accomodations nor meals and purchases had to be over a certain amount.

GST refunds are available for accomodations as long as you stay less than one month in each lodging establishment. The purchase amounts (before taxes) of goods and accomodations must total C$200 or more, and for goods, individual purchases must be for C$50 or higher. <BR> <BR>In Quebec, you can claim a refund for both the GST (they call it TPS) of 7% as well as the Quebec Sales Tax (TVQ) of 6.5%. In Toronto, you only get a refund for the GST.

thank you all for the info. thanks particularly to brian for the usual fine-tuned reply. tom d

Tom, I just noticed that you can view the refund brochure at www.rc.gc.ca <BR> <BR>And be sure to get an original receipt. Anything that even looks like it might have been photocopied will be refused.

Or a shorter link is: <BR> <BR>http://www.rc.gc.ca/visitors/tax-e.htm

When in Canada, our largest class of purchases has been lodging. When exiting, we have gone through the Coutts station south of Lethbridge. There the refund is in Canadian money. If you don't want to spend it on items in the duty free shop, American border towns will accept Canadian currency. I usually use the refund to buy gas in the USA because it has been cheaper by a substantial margin. <BR>If not exiting through a station with a refund office, you can always mail it in. <BR>