Via's Canadian--Questions

[AlanB]

That's interesting about lodging GST refunds as the tax authority representative at the Canadian consulate in Orlando, FL said that lodging taxes aren't refunded and the form I received when exiting Canada (Vancouver's Central Pacific Station) in July of this year had an X over the lodging symbol, along with gas, food, etc. I know in 2001 I received a refund for lodging, but was told that refund was eliminated after a change in a Canadian tax law. Better call Ottawa to get a clear answer on this! I think I got a raw deal this year with the lodging tax refund if the info on the tax link is up-to-date.

I did get charged PST on VIA tickets on the Enterprise in May 2001 by Quebec, which is the only province to do this to my knowledge. Maybe this was a billing error on the ticket voucher, but because of Quebec's nationalist movement and self-ruling attitude, I think they like to do whatever they want regardless of any federal law or policy.   <_<

Not sure why it might have been X'd out on the form, although maybe it was because you were on the train and the form was setup for train stuff. I wouldn't expect a consular official to know about tax stuff, that's a totally seperate department, and not his/her specialty.

However, like I said, I just got a refund on August 23rd of this year. I also got refunds in Feb of this year and Novemeber of last year.

If I recall correctly you would have needed hotel receipts for $200 CDN, before tax, to claim a refund. However, it's still not to late to file for that refund if you do have the receipts to prove it.

A PDF version of the form to fill out can be found at the link I provided above. Just fill out the form and mail it in along with your receipts. Make sure that you make copies, as you won't get the receipts back. No need to call Ottawa, that site is up to date. Over 50 Shania Twain fans that attended the convention with me in August, also filed for their refunds and have received them.

I did get charged PST on VIA tickets on the Enterprise in May 2001 by Quebec, which is the only province to do this to my knowledge. Maybe this was a billing error on the ticket voucher, but because of Quebec's nationalist movement and self-ruling attitude, I think they like to do whatever they want regardless of any federal law or policy.   <_<

Did you buy the tickets on-line or in person in Montreal? That might have some effect on the PST, although I'm not sure.

 

[trainboy325]

The dollar value of the hotel room is why I didn't get a refund. The value of spending at the hotel was over $200.00, but was under the magic number on the actual lodging total. That's probably why the consulate agent said I didn't qualify, but wished he said the reason was the because of the total rather than making it seem like lodging wasn't covered anymore. I'll call the tax authority next time as I wanted to save a few pennies on long distance to Canada. That's what happens when you cut corners. However, I did get a form that had the lodging symbol with an X on it. When I get some details from the tax authority on what form I got and determine if it incorrectly passed out at Vancouver station. I'll let you know.

As for the Enterprise tickets with Quebec PST, I purchased them from a travel agent. I don't know anything more about it since I didn't really look into the tax back in 2001!

 

[AlanB]

The dollar value of the hotel room is why I didn't get a refund. The value of spending at the hotel was over $200.00, but was under the magic number on the actual lodging total. That's probably why the consulate agent said I didn't qualify, but wished he said the reason was the because of the total rather than making it seem like lodging wasn't covered anymore.

That $200 in lodging could have done it. Did you stay at more than one hotel? The $200 isn't per hotel, it's collectively.

Even if you still don't qualify right now, don't throw that receipt away. While I obviously don't know what you future plans might include, if there is another trip to Canada for any reason, even a one night stay in a hotel should now put you over the minimum. You have one year to turn in that receipt, so if you do get another stay in Canada within that 1 year, then you can get your GST back for both the past stay and the possible future stay.

 

[Sam Damon]

I haven't made a trip to Canada for ten years or so.

What amused me on that trip to Toronto was having the Delta Chelsea hotel deduct the GST right from my credit card bill. Here I was expecting to file some sort of bureaucratic form, and the hotel gave the credit, right there, on the bill!

Of course, this meant it wasn't worth it for me to file the paperwork necessary to get the GST back on the other trinkets and other stuff we bought for relatives... so Ontario still made out.

To have no kids, and disposable income. <sigh>

 

[MontanaJim]

i know this is a little off topic, but i am trying to plan a possible trip on the canadian for january. i wanted to go straight vancouver-montreal with no stopover in toronto. Ive discovered that one has to have a stopover in toronto because there arent any overnight toronto-montreal trains. That really surprises me, youd think that an overnight train would be popular with business travellers between the two cities.

 

[trainboy325]

The overnight Toronto - Montreal train, the Enterprise, was just abolished a few weeks ago. I don't recall the exact date it was terminated. The train was popular with businessman and tourist, but due to difficulty maintaining the Renaisance equipment and the need to put streamliner cars back onto the Ocean and more on the Canadian, the train was abolished. I don't expect VIA to bring the train back as it most likely won't have any sleepers and the train sat at a station for about four hours in order to allow for reasonable morning arrival times in Montreal and Toronto.

 

[MontanaJim]

thanks for the info trainboy. Id still think that there would be enough demand to have an overnight train continue, but I guess not.

 

[MontanaJim]

while researching the canadian's timetable, i see that during the wintertime, most of the rockies are traversed when it is dark outside.

i might wait to take the canadian during the summer.

 

[MontanaJim]

actually i see in the summer it isnt too much better. why does via rail schedule evening departures and morning arrivals into vancouver? at least amtrak fits its schedule to match the scenery.