What Canada's tax holiday could mean for Ontario families with new babies
Tecumseh, Ont., baby-supply store says change has been most challenging for online sales
The tax holiday is officially in effect.
As you've likely heard by now, many products are not being taxed at the checkout — until mid-February.
Many baby-related items are included in the HST holiday.
Most diapers are included in the tax break — whether they're disposable or cloth. Same with diaper inserts and training pants.
Children's car seats are also covered under the tax break — including boosters — but not car seats that are part of a stroller or carrier.
Things such as footwear and toys also make the list.
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Jeanine Jodoin says the tax break has been most challenging for online sales.
She owns Three Lambs Registry and Baby Boutique in Tecumseh, Ont.
"It's a very handpicked kind of list," Jodoin said.
"It's not as easy as just going on the website and turning off GST or turning off taxes in general."
In-store, she says, it's not as complicated because they can make manual adjustments at the register — and a "large majority" of her store is included in the list.
"It's an essentials list," she said.
Jodoin says she's noticed an uptick in foot traffic since the tax break came into effect on Saturday.
"It definitely has spurred people to come in and be excited. They are a little misinformed, and some customers come in assuming that everything is tax free, and they seem to be a little disappointed that a stroller is not tax free or a crib isn't tax free."
According to Jodoin, she's glad toys were included during the holiday season to allow for added "relief."
Corey Bryant is a midwife in Windsor, Ont.
She says from the families she's spoken to, there's a range of reactions to the tax break, and that it depends entirely on what a person's individual circumstances are and how well-resourced and supported they are.
"I would say that the majority of folks who come to midwifery care are fairly affluent and generally have supportive families," she said.
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"I don't find that most of my families feel a lot of financial stress about adding a new baby to their family."
Bryant says she does see some families who are "lesser resourced" who are happy for the governments to pull back on taxes for the next two months.
"Babies don't really need a lot, actually. They need to be fed. They need to be warm. They need clothes. They need somewhere safe to sleep. There's a lot about babies that we buy that could be optional."
According to Bryant, often a first baby in a home isn't the first baby in the extended family, so people can frequently rely on hand-me-downs.