Spending habits altered by HST: Poll

jeff hodson/metro vancouver

A protester rallies against the HST on Georgia Street Aug. 8.

HST tweets
Metro asked followers on Twitter if they have altered their spending behaviour because of the HST:

@CynnamonS Sadly yes. I am dining out less
@BrittRiddell YES! I am realizing that my $4something latte has become a $5something latte and that I can no longer justify @Starbucks
@Beckycaissie Nope. The only time I think about HST is when I see it on the news
@hairbykatierose I used to tip 20% on my total after tax. Now I look at the subtotal!
@crease222 I was paying $10.25 Monday-Friday for Starbucks. When the tax went up 13 cents a cup I switched to free coffee at work

Published: September 03, 2010 5:36 a.m.

Last modified: September 03, 2010 1:41 a.m.

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More than two-thirds of British Columbians say they’ve curbed their spending because of the HST, according to an Angus Reid poll released on Thursday.

Nearly 90 per cent of people in B.C. said they found dining out has become more expensive, and 67 per cent said their basic groceries had become pricier.

Sixty-three per cent said the added tax has made cellphone bills go up, and 29 per cent said children’s clothes are now more expensive.

The province of B.C. responded to the poll with a statement saying some of the goods and services British Columbians claim to be more expensive are actually HST-exempt.

“Seventy-six per cent of people thought basic groceries were more expensive. There’s no HST on basic groceries,” said the release.

It added that tax on cellphone bills and children’s clothing hasn’t changed, either.

In Ontario, where the HST was introduced on the same day, the poll found that slightly more than half of respondents have changed their spending habits.

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