Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
The harmonized sales tax in Ontario is 13% on most things you buy, so a $100 item costs $113 at the till. Of that 13%, 5% is the federal part and 8% is the provincial part, but you only see one line on the receipt.
What is the harmonized sales tax in Ontario, really?
Before HST, you paid GST to Ottawa and a separate sales tax to the province. Ontario folded the two into one tax that the CRA collects. Stores charge one rate, file one return, and the money is split behind the scenes, which is nothing you ever have to do. You just see 13% added to the price.
The CRA says the place of supply decides the rate. If the sale is treated as made in Ontario, 13% applies. That’s why an Ontario shop charges you 13% even when the goods ship from another province, and why the same phone costs a different amount of tax in Alberta.
What does 13% look like on real prices?
We ran a few round numbers through the GST and HST calculator, set to Ontario, adding tax to the price before tax.
| Price before tax | HST at 13% | You pay |
|---|---|---|
| $100 | $13.00 | $113.00 |
| $500 | $65.00 | $565.00 |
| $1,000 | $130.00 | $1,130.00 |
| $30,000 | $3,900.00 | $33,900.00 |
A quick mental shortcut: take 10% of the price, then add a third of that. On $80, that’s $8 plus about $2.67, so roughly $10.67. The exact figure is $10.40, so the shortcut runs a bit high. Fine for a shelf price. Not for a quote.
Is everything taxed at 13%?
No. The CRA describes a zero-rated supply as one taxed at 0% everywhere in Canada, and it gives basic groceries as the example. Other supplies are exempt, which is a different thing. For a zero-rated item the seller is still in the system, while an exempt seller doesn’t charge tax at all.
As a shopper you rarely care about the difference. You care that the line on the receipt may say 0 for a loaf of bread and 13% for the chips next to it. Which products fall on which side is a detailed call, and the CRA’s pages on supply types are where the answer lives. We haven’t tried to list them here, because a half-right list is worse than none.
How do I take HST out of a price that already includes it?
This is the reverse question, and it comes up with invoices and receipts. Divide the total by 1.13, not by subtracting 13%. On $2,260 that gives $2,000 before tax and $260 of HST. Subtracting 13% from $2,260 would give $1,966.20, which is wrong by about $34.
The reverse HST calculator does it in one step, and it’s handy when you need the tax line for an expense claim. If you want a plain percentage of any number for other work, the percentage calculator is faster than fiddling with a phone.
Where people get caught
Three things come up again and again. The first is using 13% outside Ontario. Quebec, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba work differently, and the GST and PST calculator covers the western ones. Its BC setting applies 12% to everything, so it will overstate the tax on anything PST doesn’t touch. Check a single item before you rely on the total.
The second is forgetting that a quoted price may or may not include tax. Contractors and private sellers often quote before tax. Ask. A $5,000 job is $5,650 once 13% is added, and that’s a real surprise when you’ve budgeted the round number.
The third is assuming the rate is fixed for ever. It has moved before elsewhere: Nova Scotia cut its HST from 15% to 14% on 1 April 2025, according to the CRA. Ontario’s 13% is what the CRA shows now, but check the CRA rate page if you’re reading this years later.
Buying a new home in Ontario
A new home carries HST on the price, which is a big number. On $600,000, 13% is $78,000. The CRA publishes an Ontario new housing rebate of 75% of the provincial part, with a maximum of $24,000. Our new home rebate estimate shows $24,000 back on a $600,000 home for a buyer with no other rebate, leaving $54,000 of tax to pay. Federal rebates, first-time buyer rules and Ontario’s temporary extra rebate can all change that picture. Read the CRA pages before you sign, because the dates and price limits matter and a wrong guess costs real money.
Where the numbers come from
The 13% rate and the 5% federal share come from the Canada Revenue Agency’s GST/HST rate pages, and the 8% provincial share from its housing rebate pages. The rebate figures come from the CRA’s new housing rebate guide. Rates were checked in September 2026. This site isn’t connected to the CRA or any government.
Frequently asked questions
What is the HST rate in Ontario?
13%. The CRA treats 5% as the federal part and 8% as the provincial part, but shops charge one combined rate.
Is HST charged on groceries in Ontario?
Basic groceries are zero-rated, meaning taxed at 0%, according to the CRA. Other food products can be taxed, so check the CRA's supply pages for a specific item.
How do I get the price before HST?
Divide the total by 1.13. A $2,260 total is $2,000 plus $260 of HST.
Do I pay Ontario HST on online orders from other provinces?
The CRA says the place of supply decides the rate. If the sale counts as made in Ontario, 13% applies.
Is there a rebate on HST for a new home?
Yes, Ontario has a new housing rebate of 75% of the provincial part, up to $24,000. Other rebates may also apply, so read the CRA's guide.
- GST, HST, PST and QST explained for every province
Which GST, HST, PST or QST applies where you shop or sell in Canada, the 2026 rates for every province, who must register and how to add or remove tax
- Ontario income tax and sales tax in 2026
How Ontario income tax works in 2026: the five brackets, the surtax and health premium, the 13% HST, and the calculators that switch to Ontario
Information only. This page is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Tax-Services.ca is an independent publisher: we don't prepare or file tax returns or offer tax services, and we have no connection with the CRA, Revenu Québec, any government or any company named on this page. Check the figures that matter with an official source or a qualified professional.