Canada's Tax break on consoles

[CupMonkey ジョージ]

Hi all, you might have heard that Canadians are getting a tax break including for video game consoles. Is the Steamdeck a video game console? if so, there should be no tax on the purchase of it starting Dec 14 2024 for 2 months. Thoughts?

[fluxtorrent]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Komarimaru:

Steamdeck I believe isn't considered a console, since setup to play PC games.

As mentioned above, games are also not covered since digital.

These items qualify as video game consoles, controllers, and games:

Game consoles designed primarily for playing video games
Controllers designed primarily for playing video games on a qualifying video game console
Physical video games, in a tangible format designed for the read-only storage of information in digital format, that contains a video game designed for use with a qualifying video game console (for example, game cartridges)

These items do not qualify:

Downloadable or online-only games
Other gaming accessories, such as chairs and headsets

Already double checked, it's considered a console by the CRA for all purposes. This is publicly available information because it's an imported item and thus needs to be classified in order to be taxed properly.

[Komarimaru]

Oprindeligt skrevet af fluxtorrent:

Oprindeligt skrevet af Komarimaru:

Steamdeck I believe isn't considered a console, since setup to play PC games.

As mentioned above, games are also not covered since digital.

Already double checked, it's considered a console by the CRA for all purposes. This is publicly available information because it's an imported item and thus needs to be classified in order to be taxed properly.

Ah, yep, the CRA does show it as a console. But when checked, not GST nor HST is being applied to Canadian citizens when purchasing it currently.

Still won't apply to any digital games though. Odd they listed it as a console though, since even Valve doesn't promote it as such. Next they'll be saying a laptop is a console lol

[fluxtorrent]

It's listed as import fee's rather than tax on the invoice, as it's being imported.

It "shouldn't" be showing right now anyway as it's already gone into effect. But if it does show on someone's invoice they just need to keep their receipt and add it as a rebate when they file their taxes.

They don't have to promote it as one to go for the lower import fees for one heh.

[Bllasae]

Oprindeligt skrevet af kingjames488:

Oprindeligt skrevet af Malfunctioning Robot:

Wrong again. Valve collects GST as well. As someone who lives in Alberta there IS no pst, but I still have to pay the GST. The federal government has been charging GST on online video game purchases for almost a year now. Maybe try and keep up. And they were always charging it on purchases like the steam deck.

I mean... that is a typical alberta opinion...

wonder how well you'll do as an independent landlocked nation XD

I mean there's a good chance they'll be able to steamroll the Canadian military if they want to.

[pat277]

Oprindeligt skrevet af imaginecatchynamehere:

I'm assuming he already has his answer at this point, but if anyone else was curious, it is tax exempt. Minus those PST provinces of course.

Bonus, Lenovo Legion Go counts (for anyone who finds this answer later on)

[iaminno2019]

Steam should add Canada taxes break because if we pay for taxes what the point of this

[Chompman]

Oprindeligt skrevet af starsquadjaden:

Steam should add Canada taxes break because if we pay for taxes what the point of this

This is not something steam can do anything about as it's what the government does.

They set what they will tax and they have decided digital games should still be taxed.

[Pacs]

I'm at the purchase screen for Steam Deck OLED and there is no tax /shrug

[Chompman]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Pacs:

I'm at the purchase screen for Steam Deck OLED and there is no tax /shrug

It makes sense since it applies to consoles however make sure you get it now if you want before the tariff issues might cause it to increase if they are started again.

[Chika Ogiue]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Pacs:

I'm at the purchase screen for Steam Deck OLED and there is no tax /shrug

Because you're buying hardware. Even for consoles, the tax break does not extend to digital goods.

[fluxtorrent]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Chompman:

Oprindeligt skrevet af Pacs:

I'm at the purchase screen for Steam Deck OLED and there is no tax /shrug

It makes sense since it applies to consoles however make sure you get it now if you want before the tariff issues might cause it to increase if they are started again.

tax holiday is almost over too

[RPG Gamer Man]

Oprindeligt skrevet af kingjames488:

it's a tax break on government sales tax for canadians... so therefore an american company collecting sales tax doesn't apply.

simple as that.

Yea, that would not make sense to get a tax break for a company not located in canada.

[fluxtorrent]

Oprindeligt skrevet af RPG Gamer Man:

Oprindeligt skrevet af kingjames488:

it's a tax break on government sales tax for canadians... so therefore an american company collecting sales tax doesn't apply.

simple as that.

Yea, that would not make sense to get a tax break for a company not located in canada.

You don't get tax breaks from companies, you get them from governments, and all companies doing business within a country has to abide the tax laws of said country, regardless of where they are headquartered

[Beltneck]

Yeah, that was a nice few weeks of not having to pay a 15% sales tax.

But the average in the States is less than half that; and according to a multitude of CBC and BBC reports, annexation is a serious possibility now. So if we play our cards right we might get to enjoy those lower taxes forever and ever.

After all, three times in a row, we elected the guy who said Canada is a "Post-national state with no core identity."

Teamwork makes the dream work :D