Shoppers and businesses across Canada are expressing mixed feeling and showing little enthusiasm as a two-month break from the federal GST took effect Saturday.

Lori Parker, the owner of an independent toy store in Toronto, said the sales tax holiday could be good for business because it makes shopping cheaper for customers, but the measure meant more work for her staff over the holiday season.

91裸聊视频淚t does give them a break on costs,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淏ut we knew from the get-go that it would be a lot of work.91裸聊视频�

The owner of Treasure Island Toys Ltd. said her shop sells thousands of items and it was not easy to figure out what91裸聊视频檚 covered with the GST break

91裸聊视频淚t was very laborious. We spent a lot of time reading and re-reading what was included in the tax break and what was not included,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淭he rules seem, were quite ambiguous, so they were subject to interpretation. We spent a lot of time talking to other retailers and suppliers about how they were interpreting the rules.91裸聊视频�

The federal government announced the plan to temporarily waive the five per cent goods and services tax in a bid to help ease affordability concerns during the holiday season.

Provinces with a harmonized provincial and federal sales tax will see the full HST waived.

At Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto, Kishore Basu said he was shopping Christmas gift for his family members and he is not going to change his shopping list due to the GST holiday.

91裸聊视频淭he GST doesn91裸聊视频檛 add that much in the end to most of those goods,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 think it91裸聊视频檚 significant enough to change spending patterns.91裸聊视频�

Basu said he doesn91裸聊视频檛 this the GST break will be helpful for most people.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 sure it will help some Canadians, but I think the marginal benefit versus what91裸聊视频檚 added to the deficit isn91裸聊视频檛 worth it,91裸聊视频� he said.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 only for two months and it91裸聊视频檚 going to come back. It seems to me more like an election ploy than anything else. I think most people see that.91裸聊视频�

In Montreal, Patrick Neault, general manager of Raffin Bookstore, said the chain had to shift some staff during the holiday season to make sure the store was compliant.

91裸聊视频淲e worked kind of hard the last three weeks so that it goes fluidly today and it91裸聊视频檚 working fine so far,91裸聊视频� he said, adding Ottawa91裸聊视频檚 announcement wasn91裸聊视频檛 welcoming news when first announced.

But Nault isn91裸聊视频檛 certain that the benefits for retailers and shoppers will ultimately outweigh the extra work staff had to put in.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not that much of a deal. It91裸聊视频檚 like a few per cent (discount) on a transaction. I91裸聊视频檓 not sure that91裸聊视频檚 a very strong incentive,91裸聊视频� he said.

At a bustling mall in Halifax, Katrina Rose set out early in the day to buy her young daughter91裸聊视频檚 holiday outfit. She said she waited until the tax break took effect to make some holiday purchases to take advantage of savings.

91裸聊视频淢y daughter is a huge book lover, so things like books and board games and those regular toys we91裸聊视频檇 like to get for the holidays I saved until now,91裸聊视频� she said in an interview Saturday.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Matthew said she forgot the tax break was starting on Saturday and didn91裸聊视频檛 factor that into her holiday shopping. She says the tax break on food, alcohol and clothing will help with some savings for her and her two daughters, but won91裸聊视频檛 bring about a significant amount of savings in the grand scheme of things.

91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 think it91裸聊视频檚 going to put a big dent in my wallet by any means. I don91裸聊视频檛 think we91裸聊视频檒l be able to book that holiday, but like anything every penny helps,91裸聊视频� she said.

Her 10-year-old daughter Ruby said she91裸聊视频檚 excited about the potential savings the break will bring for some hoodies she91裸聊视频檚 had her eye on.

The tax break is set to run until Feb. 15, 2025, and it applies to dozens of items including restaurant meals, children91裸聊视频檚 clothing, wine and beer, children91裸聊视频檚 toys and Christmas trees.

However, product categories eligible for GST relief have plenty of exemptions, with items like food and drinks from vending machines, magazines, clothing for sports activities, and some collectibles and toys not making the cut.

In a press release Saturday, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada said Ottawa is doing what it can to help Canadians struggling with their budgets.

Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities said in the release that the cuts should help with the added expenses the holiday season often brings.

91裸聊视频淲ith new tax cuts on essentials and holiday expenses, we are helping to reduce costs for families when they need relief the most,91裸聊视频� she said in a statement.

Kelly Higginson, CEO of Restaurants Canada, said in the release that she was pleased with the decision to temporarily waive the tax, which should give a boost to sales in the restaurant industry.