We came across an article listing some of the most hated taxes in Canada. Take your pick of these taxes:
Income Tax
Personal income tax is a necessity for our country to run smoothly. Nowadays, however, with the introduction of many other taxes, Canada has been described as a nation drowning in taxes. And to add insult to injury, over time, many Canadians prefer the annual rates of the U.S. at tax time.
Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Introduced in 1991, the GST was a replacement to the 13.5% Manufacturer’s Sales Tax or MST, which then Prime Minister Brian Mulroney insisted was hurting the international competitiveness of Canadian businesses.
The launch of the GST, however, came with a lot of opposition as most taxpayers thought it would only make the cost of living higher.
Harmonized Sales Tax (HST)
The HST was introduced for the specific purpose of simplifying the tax collection process. The HST combined the Provincial Sales Tax or PST and the GST into one simple figure wherein all the revenue will be collected federally instead of having each province act as a middle man.
For many Canadians, the HST is simply a way for the provincial government to discreetly charge PST on purchases where it wouldn’t otherwise be levied.
Property Tax
The revenue from property taxes are used to support the municipal government. This revenue is the source of funds for many municipal services from the local police, paramedics and library services.
Although a necessity which supports local municipal services, the increasing rate of the property tax year after year has certainly caused a lot of negative feelings among taxpayers.
Gas Tax
Canada collects billions of dollars in fuel taxes that goes to the maintenance and construction of local roads and highways. However, it is unfortunate that Canadians are taxed more than in the U.S. On average, about one-third of the pump price is tax and in some areas, a sales tax is also collected on top of the retail price.
Reference: "The most hated taxes in Canada" by Jason Buckland, December 9, 2009