Restaurants in Ottawa are hoping the GST/HST holiday will help them through their typically slow season after the holiday rush. The tax break, which runs until February 15th, aims to give Canadians some relief on certain goods and services.
While some restaurants around Ottawa are celebrating the GST/HST holiday, they're also hoping customers stick around beyond Christmas to continue taking advantage of the tax break and help curtail their dry season. The tax break, which aims to give Canadians a measure of relief on certain goods, launched on Saturday and is set to last until Feb. 15, covering the restaurant industry's slowest time of the year — after the holidays.
'The timing … aligns typically with a very challenging time for restaurants,' said Kelly Higginson, CEO of Restaurants Canada. 'As we go into January and February, sales are on average 10 per cent lower than at other times of the year.' Higginson said during that time, restaurants tend to buckle down to make ends meet and employees often face the consequences. 'Their shifts are cut, there's less volume in the restaurants, they're scrambling trying to ... make ends meet during this very challenging period. So that is where we see the real benefit ,' Higginson added. Johny Bonney, assistant general manager of Lil Z's Pizza and The King Eddy in the ByWard Market, said he knows that struggle firsthand.But now, with meals and some drinks tax-free, he hopes more people will funnel through their doors and help boost business. 'At this point, everything we've been through in the last five years ... I mean, we're all for it,' Bonney said. 'We're thankful for it.'With many Canadians battling inflation in recent years and keeping a closer eye on spending, Higginson said it's left the restaurant industry dr
RESTAURANTS GST/HST HOLIDAY SALES INFLATION
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