Canada PST Calculator: Provincial Sales Tax on a Purchase
Work out the Canadian Provincial Sales Tax (PST) added to a purchase and the total — the provincial portion of sales tax in provinces that charge GST and PST separately.
Adjust the inputs and select Calculate for a full breakdown.
Compare Common Scenarios
How the numbers shift across typical situations for this calculator:
| Scenario | PST | Price with PST |
|---|---|---|
| 7% of $100 (BC, $7) | $7.00 | $107.00 |
| 6% of $250 (Saskatchewan) | $15.00 | $265.00 |
| 9.975% of $500 (Quebec QST) | $49.88 | $549.88 |
| 7% of $1,200 (Manitoba) | $84.00 | $1,284.00 |
How This Calculator Works
Enter the pre-tax price and your province's PST rate. The calculator returns the PST and the price including it. Note this is PST only — in PST provinces you also pay the 5% federal GST on top, so your all-in tax is GST + PST.
The Formula
Percentage Add-On
Rate is the tax or tip percentage applied to the amount
Worked Example
At a 7% PST rate (e.g. British Columbia), a $100 purchase has $7 of PST, for a $107 total before GST. Canada's sales tax varies by province: some provinces charge GST (5% federal) and PST (provincial) separately — BC (7% PST), Saskatchewan (6%), Manitoba (7%), and Quebec (QST 9.975%, calculated on the pre-tax price) — while others use a single Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) that combines both. Alberta and the territories charge GST only (no PST). This calculator isolates the PST portion.
Key Insight
Canadian sales tax is a patchwork that confuses many shoppers and businesses, so knowing your province's system matters. There are three models: (1) GST + PST charged separately — British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba add a provincial PST on top of the 5% federal GST, and Quebec adds the QST (9.975%) on top of GST; (2) HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) — Ontario and the Atlantic provinces combine federal and provincial into one rate (e.g. 13% in Ontario, 15% in several others); and (3) GST only — Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon charge just the 5% GST with no provincial sales tax. This calculator shows the PST (or QST) portion; in a GST+PST province your total tax is GST + PST (and historically in Quebec the QST is calculated on the pre-tax amount, not on the GST-included amount, after a rule change years ago). A few practical points: PST rules and exemptions differ by province (some goods and services — basic groceries, certain essentials — are exempt or zero-rated), PST is generally not recoverable by businesses the way GST input tax credits are (PST is often a true cost to businesses, unlike GST), and online/cross-province purchases follow destination rules that have tightened. For an accurate all-in price in a PST province, calculate GST and PST separately and add both to the pre-tax price; in an HST province, use the single HST rate instead. Verify current provincial rates and exemptions, as they change.
Canadian sales tax — federal vs provincial structure
Canada has BOTH federal (GST 5%) AND provincial sales taxes. Structure varies by province.
(1) HST PROVINCES — Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island. Combined HST replaces separate federal/provincial. Ontario 13% (5% federal + 8% provincial). Atlantic provinces 15% (5% + 10%).
(2) PST PROVINCES — British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Quebec. Separate PST/QST applied IN ADDITION to GST. Customer pays both: 5% GST + 7% PST = 12% combined in BC.
(3) GST-ONLY — Alberta, Yukon, NWT, Nunavut. Just federal 5%. No provincial sales tax.
Comparison. Alberta resident on $100 purchase: $5 GST. Quebec resident: $5 GST + $9.975 QST = $14.98. Substantial difference reflects different provincial revenue models.
Cross-border. Sales tax follows destination. Online order from Alberta business to BC customer: BC tax applies (5% GST + 7% PST). For substantial purchases, can affect total cost meaningfully.
Quebec QST and Ontario HST harmonization
Quebec QST 9.975%. Harmonized with GST since 2013. Same tax base. Administered separately by Revenu Quebec rather than CRA.
Ontario HST 13% (combined federal and provincial). Since 2010. Single tax for consumers. Simpler administration than separate PST.
Ontario consumer experience. $100 purchase → $113 total. Much simpler than provinces with separate GST + PST showing separately on receipts.
Decision tradeoffs. PST provinces (BC, Manitoba, Saskatchewan) maintained separate provincial sales tax — administered separately. HST provinces simplified consumer experience but ceded some provincial control.
Quebec is hybrid — separate administration but harmonized base. Receipt shows GST and QST separately like PST provinces.
Canadian sales tax by province (2024)
Reference Canadian sales tax structure by province.
| Province | GST | Provincial | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 5% | 0% | 5% |
| British Columbia | 5% | 7% PST | 12% |
| Manitoba | 5% | 7% RST | 12% |
| Saskatchewan | 5% | 6% PST | 11% |
| Quebec | 5% | 9.975% QST | 14.975% |
| Ontario | n/a (HST) | n/a (HST) | 13% |
| Atlantic (NB/NL/NS/PE) | n/a (HST) | n/a (HST) | 15% |
| Yukon, NWT, Nunavut | 5% | 0% | 5% |
Combined sales tax ranges 5-15% across Canadian provinces. Alberta lowest at 5% GST-only; Atlantic provinces highest at 15% HST. Substantial difference affects cross-border shopping (Alberta vs BC), online purchasing, and tourism. For substantial purchases, provincial structure meaningfully affects total cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is PST calculated?
Multiply the pre-tax price by your province's PST rate and add it. At 7% PST, a $100 purchase has $7 of PST, for $107 before GST. In PST provinces you also pay the 5% federal GST on top, so total tax is GST + PST.
Which provinces charge PST?
British Columbia (7%), Saskatchewan (6%), and Manitoba (7%) charge PST on top of the 5% GST; Quebec charges QST (9.975%). Ontario and the Atlantic provinces use a combined HST instead, and Alberta plus the territories charge GST only — no provincial sales tax.
What's the difference between PST, GST, and HST?
GST is the 5% federal tax. PST (or QST in Quebec) is a separate provincial tax added on top in some provinces. HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) combines the federal and provincial portions into one rate (e.g. 13% Ontario). So you pay GST+PST in PST provinces, a single HST in HST provinces, or GST only in Alberta and the territories.
Is PST charged on everything?
No — exemptions vary by province. Basic groceries and certain essentials are commonly exempt or zero-rated, and rules differ between provinces on what's taxable (some services are PST-exempt in one province but taxed in another). Check your province's rules for specific goods and services.
Can businesses recover PST?
Generally not the way they recover GST. Registered businesses claim input tax credits for GST/HST paid on inputs, but PST is often a true cost that isn't recoverable (with some exemptions for goods bought for resale). This is a key difference from GST and affects business pricing in PST provinces.
When is this calculator unreliable?
When applying single rate to wrong jurisdiction (Canadian provinces have very different structures). Also unreliable for cross-province sales (destination-based — customer's province tax applies). For Quebec specifically, QST has slightly different rules than other provinces' PST/RST.
References & Authoritative Sources
- Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) — GST/HST/PST Information · consulted June 1, 2026 · Canadian tax regulator
- Provincial Tax Authorities — Provincial Tax Resources · consulted June 1, 2026 · Canadian provincial tax authorities
Related Calculators
Embed this calculator
Add this calculator to your website for your readers. The embed includes a neutral attribution link to the original CalcDomain page for methodology, updates, and source notes.
Attribution uses rel="nofollow" by default and is included for transparency, not ranking manipulation.
Suggest an improvement
Found a calculation issue, outdated source, unclear assumption, or missing edge case? Send a short note so we can review it.
Methodology & Review
Canada PST (Provincial Sales Tax) equals net amount × PST rate. The calculator returns PST. Canadian provincial structure: BC PST 7%, Manitoba RST 7%, Saskatchewan PST 6%, Quebec QST 9.975%. These add to federal GST 5%. Some provinces use HST instead (Harmonized Sales Tax — combines federal and provincial): Ontario 13%, NB/NL/NS/PEI 15%. Alberta + 3 territories: GST only (5%). RELIABILITY: Reliable for documented province and rate. Less reliable when comparing across very different provincial structures — PST/QST is separate from GST; HST combines. Total combined tax burden differs substantially by province.
Reviewed according to the CalcDomain Editorial Policy & Calculator Methodology. We document formulas, edge cases, sources, update dates, and correction paths for calculator pages.
Updated