Sales taxes and your TELUS bill

Information on sales tax for your TELUS Home Services and Mobility bills

Your TELUS Home Services and Mobility bills include charges for Internet, Optik TV, home phone and long distance services. The taxes on your TELUS bill may not always be what you were expecting. There are tax rules and regulations which TELUS follows when calculating the tax and the outcome may be a little confusing.

Taxes are dependent on your home province. Below is a list of topics containing basic information about sales tax and how they are charged to your account.

Understanding sales taxes and your TELUS bill

Typically, you are charged the appropriate tax for the province or territory in which you reside. However, if you travel to another province and make phone calls from there, you may be charged the tax of a different province.

Below is a summary of the current taxes and rates that apply in each province or territory:

Note
: Goods and Services Tax (GST), Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), Quebec Sales Tax (QST) and Provincial Sales Tax (PST).

Province

Rate

British Columbia

5% GST and 7% PST

Alberta

5% GST

Saskatchewan

5% GST and 6% PST (5% PST prior to March 23, 2017)

Manitoba

5% GST and 7% PST

Ontario

13% HST

Québec

5% GST and 9.975% QST

New Brunswick

15% HST

Nova Scotia

15% HST

Prince Edward Island

15% HST

Newfoundland and Labrador

15% HST

Territories

5% GST

Note
: This is general information only. The Canada Revenue Agency and the Provincial governments administer tax laws and provide much more detailed information about how those laws apply. If you can't find the information you need, please consult the government links below.

GST and HST and your TELUS bill

Throughout the country, either the Goods and Services Tax (GST) or Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) will usually be charged on goods and services that you buy
If you live in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec or any of the Territories you pay 5% GST (in addition, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have a Provincial Sales Tax. Quebec has the Quebec Sales Tax)
If you live in Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador you pay HST
GST or HST must be paid on almost all goods and services you buy from TELUS, including mobile phone charges

QST and your TELUS bill

PST and your TELUS bill

British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba each impose a Provincial Sales Tax (PST) in addition to the GST that you pay in those provinces
PST does not always apply to all the same things as the GST/HST or QST
For example, in BC, PST does not apply to administrative charges (if any) on your bill
The most basic package of Optik TV services is PST exempt in BC and if you do not have the most basic package then the first $25 of your Optik TV services is PST exempt

Mobility only

TELUS Easy Payment®

When you sign up for a 2 year device term with TELUS Easy Payment®, you pay taxes for the full cost of the device up front at the time of purchase. As a result, the monthly amount you repay towards your TELUS Easy Payment® term is not subject to any tax.

Roaming

If usage charges are incurred for long distance, taxes are based on a few variables. If the call is either made or received in your home area then taxes for your province will apply but if the call is both made and received outside your home province, different taxes may apply
If you have an Ontario number and are in Quebec but only make calls home to Ontario then only Ontario tax (HST) applies as your number and the call destination are Ontario
If you have an Ontario number and are in Quebec and make long distance calls within Quebec while there, GST and QST apply as the calls are made and received in Quebec (outside of your home province)
If you travel to another province and make a call to a third province that is not your home province or the province you are travelling in then you will be charged the GST or HST of the province you are travelling in

Phone numbers from more than one province

If you have multiple devices with numbers from different provinces, tax laws require TELUS to charge the taxes of the province in which each device is ordinarily situated
For example, if you have a BC number and an Ontario number you will generally be charged GST and BC PST on the BC number and ON HST on the Ontario number

Understanding your bill credits

When you are given a bill credit that is discretionary, either one time or recurring on a temporary basis, it includes taxes based on the applicable taxes levied in the province of supply. This means it is displayed on your bill as the before tax value. 

For example, let's say you are in Ontario and were offered a $10 credit for activating a new subscriber with TELUS Mobility. Here is how it breaks down on your bill:

Another example is a BC customer who was offered a $10 credit for renewing their Home phone service. Here is how it breaks down on your bill:

Another example is a BC customer receiving a $10 credit for renewing their Internet service. Here is how it breaks down on your bill: 

Did this article solve your problem?

Yes

Device balances

Find your current device balance and understand adjustments

Mobility fees

Find out the charges applicable for device setup, rate plan change, late payment and more.

Messaging charges explained

Information on costs that may be associated with messaging

Learn about accessibility at TELUS

Sales taxes and your TELUS bill

Understanding sales taxes and your TELUS bill

GST and HST and your TELUS bill

QST and your TELUS bill

PST and your TELUS bill

Mobility only

Understanding your bill credits

Did this article solve your problem?

Related articles

Device balances

Find your current device balance and understand adjustments

Mobility fees

Find out the charges applicable for device setup, rate plan change, late payment and more.

Messaging charges explained

Information on costs that may be associated with messaging