Here We Go Again
Multiple cities and counties in Ontario are back in shutdown at Midnight tonight and a large portion of Quebec is already shut down, including the major cities of that province.
This means cinemas are shut down as are non-essential businesses, many businesses running at 35-50% capacity and/or reduced hours until further notice, with measures to protect the public including the mandatory wearing of masks and use of hand sanitizers in safe and customers. Call your local stores for details.
If possible, you should probably use delivery, curbside and pickup services if they are available. I’ve personally used these since March 2020 and rarely visited stores since then, taking advantage of subscriptions services like Amazon Prime and PC Insiders. But if you need to pick up a prescription at your local Shoppers Drug Mart or Rexall, keep an eye out for discounted masks and hand sanitizers. I’ve noticed a few were available.
Mail order services are available from many retailers so this could be the safest option at this time.
Limited Shopping Reinstated
In store shopping returns in the province of Ontario, with safety measures. And it may also return in the province of Quebec by March 1st.
Contact your local stores for details. And don’t forget to socially distance, wear a mask and wash your hands frequently.
Enjoy. And stay safe.
Quebec Under Curfew
A curfew is now in effect in the province of Quebec for four weeks and this may cause retailers in the province to reduce their hours, possibly delaying shipments both inside and outside the province.
This curfew occurs from 8 PM to 5 AM province wide and is response to the high numbers of COVID-19 infections in the province.
Details in regards to delays and reduced hours of operation should be available on your retailer’s official websites.
Cinemas Closed In Quebec Again
Libraries, Museums and Cinemas will be closed for 28 days in Greater Montreal, Quebec City and Chaudière-Appalaches regions in response to the resurgence of COVID-19 in those areas.
Events will be limited to 25 people, so record conventions in the province will likely be cancelled. And stores may limit their hours and entry to a few individuals so you should consider ordering products online for delivery or pick-up.
Altough cinemas and stores remain open in the province of Ontario, A resurgance in cases is also being observed there so another lockdown is a possibility.
Most music retailers in Ontario now offer reservations/in-store pick-ups, curbside pick-ups and deliveries so there are options to limit person to person contact.
Streaming Taxes In Quebec
It appears that streaming services like Netflix might be subject to provincial sales taxes in Quebec soon.
Quebec Finance Minister Carlos Leitao said this could be a possibility soon, depending on the details of the $500 million Canadian Content deal the federal government has worked out with Netflix.
Some download and streaming services are already subject to provincial or harmonized sales taxes, like iTunes, Apple Music and other services that are based in Quebec or in Canada.
HST in Quebec
Quebec residents will know if they will be subjected to a provincially collected Harmonized Sales Tax by the end of the month.
The federal government has already set aside $2.2 billion dollars to compensate the provincial government of Quebec and is still in negotiations with Quebec in regards to what will and will not be subject to this tax.
Books and baby cribs, for example, are not subject to the provincial sales tax in the province of Quebec. And consumers are concerned that because GST is charged on those items that these products may be subject to the combined 13% Harmonized Sales Tax.