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A staycation in Ontario costs 13% more than the room rate on the sign, because HST at 13% is charged on accommodation. Four nights at $180 come to $720 before tax and $813.60 after it. The old Ontario staycation tax credit that once gave some of that back covered 2022 stays only.
The 13% figure matches what the CRA shows when it explains how to charge and collect the GST/HST, where Ontario is used as a 13% example.
What did the Ontario staycation tax credit pay?
Ontario ran a temporary credit for leisure stays in Ontario during 2022. You claimed it on your 2022 return, and it was refundable, so you got it even with no tax owing.
| Item | What the province said |
|---|---|
| Share of costs returned | 20% of eligible accommodation costs |
| Cost limit, single person | $1,000, so up to $200 back |
| Cost limit with a spouse, partner or eligible child | $2,000, so up to $400 back |
| Eligible places | Hotel, motel, resort, lodge, bed and breakfast, cottage or campground in Ontario |
| Stays covered | January 1 to December 31, 2022 |
To see how it worked, picture a couple who spent $1,500 on a cottage in 2022. Twenty percent of that is $300, under their $2,000 limit. A couple who spent $2,500 would have hit the limit and received $400, not $500. Same rules, nothing more to it.
Is it back for 2026? We couldn’t find any current version. The province’s page now sits in its archive, so don’t put a credit in your travel budget. Whether a late claim for 2022 still works is also unclear, and that question belongs with the CRA.
How much HST goes on an Ontario stay?
Thirteen percent, per the CRA’s rate table for Ontario. Of that, 5 points are the federal GST part and 8 points are the provincial part. It’s added to the room price and to other taxable charges on the bill.
Not sure whether the price you saw includes tax? Check before you book. Some listings show the price before tax and some after, and it can differ from one place to the next. If you have a receipt total, the reverse HST calculator pulls the tax out of it. A $950 total, for example, holds $109.29 of HST on an $840.71 price.
For a price before tax, the GST/HST calculator adds it on. That’s how the $720 above became $813.60. On a personal trip, nobody hands that HST back. It’s simply part of what the weekend costs.
Does HST apply on short-term rental platforms?
Often, yes. The CRA has a page on platform-based short-term accommodation, and its Ontario example has the platform operator charging and collecting HST at 13% because the property is in Ontario. The details depend on the situation the CRA describes there, so read it if you rent through an app. How each platform shows the charge at checkout varies, so look at the line items.
Some towns may also add their own accommodation charges. Look at the itemized total before you pay, and if a line puzzles you, ask the host or hotel what it is.
A simple budget for a long weekend
The room is only one line. Food, gas or transit and things to do are the rest. You know your own habits better than a website does, so the monthly budget calculator can show how a $813.60 stay sits against your other bills for the month, with everything else in the same view.
Here’s a quick way to set a ceiling. Decide the total you’ll spend, divide by 1.13, and that’s the room price you can afford before tax. A $1,000 ceiling gives about $885 of room, a figure you can confirm with the reverse HST tool. Say Sam in Kingston wants a cottage weekend and has $1,000 in mind for the room alone. The honest sign price to look for is around $885, not $1,000.
If a place offers a percent off, the discount calculator shows the new price. We don’t list specific deals, since prices and offers at any hotel, campground or cottage change by the week.
Mistakes that make a trip cost more
The big one is comparing a price with tax to a price without. Two places can look $100 apart and be identical once HST lands, and a few bucks of difference per night adds up over a week. Another is counting on a credit that doesn’t exist for this year.
Keep the receipts anyway. If a credit is ever offered again, the 2022 version required a receipt showing the place, the amount, the payer’s name and the GST/HST, and the place had to be registered for GST/HST.
Where the numbers come from
The credit details come from the Government of Ontario’s staycation tax credit page for 2022 and its news release. The 13% HST rate and the platform rules come from Canada Revenue Agency pages, and the calculator figures use them. This is an independent guide and speaks for no government.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an Ontario staycation tax credit in 2026?
We couldn't find a current one. The province ran a temporary credit for 2022 stays, and its page is now archived.
How much did the staycation tax credit give back?
It returned 20% of eligible accommodation costs, up to $200 for a single person and $400 with a spouse, partner or eligible child.
What is the HST rate on hotels in Ontario?
It's 13%, made up of 5% federal and 8% provincial. The CRA rate table lists Ontario at 13%.
Is HST charged on Airbnb-style stays?
The CRA's page on platform-based accommodation says the operator charges HST at 13% for an Ontario property in the situation it describes. Read the page for your case.
How do I find the price before tax?
Divide the total by 1.13. A $950 total is $840.71 before tax, with $109.29 of HST inside it.
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