Canada has one federal sales tax and several provincial ways of applying it. For a Shopify store that ships across the country, that creates a margin effect that is easy to overlook: the same product, at the same price, can leave a different amount of money depending on where the parcel goes.
This guide explains why Shopify taxes in Canada can move your margin, works through the numbers for four provinces, and then sets out the Founding 10,000 offer: 12 months of ORVX Core, free, for eligible Shopify stores, including Canadian ones.
Every example and amount on this page is illustrative. It shows the method and is not a benchmark, a quote or advice.
Which rate applies to an online order
The Canada Revenue Agency publishes the GST/HST rates by province. Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, Saskatchewan and the territories have 5% GST; Ontario has 13% HST; Nova Scotia has 14% HST from April 1, 2025; New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island have 15% HST. Provincial sales taxes in some provinces are separate and have their own rules (Source: Canada Revenue Agency).
For goods sold and shipped to a customer in another province, the place of supply is the province where the goods are delivered, so that province's rate is charged. Goods delivered in Ontario are charged 13% HST, whichever province the store is in (Source: Canada Revenue Agency).
There is a starting point too. Most businesses remain small suppliers, and do not have to register for the GST/HST, while their taxable supplies do not exceed $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters. A growing store should watch that rolling total, not just its calendar-year sales (Source: Canada Revenue Agency).
Worked example: one tax-included price, four provinces
If a store charges tax on top of the price at checkout, the tax passes through and the margin is the same everywhere. But suppose a registered store chooses to advertise one tax-included price of C$60 across Canada, so the customer pays C$60 wherever they live. The tax inside that price depends on the delivery province, and so does what the store keeps.
Assume the unit cost is C$20, shipping C$9, payment fees C$2.04 (2.9% of C$60 plus C$0.30), and the ad cost per order C$8. Those costs total C$39.04 in every province.
| Delivered to | Rate | Net of tax (C$60 / (1 + rate)) | Profit per order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 5% | C$57.14 | C$18.10 |
| Ontario | 13% | C$53.10 | C$14.06 |
| Nova Scotia | 14% | C$52.63 | C$13.59 |
| New Brunswick | 15% | C$52.17 | C$13.13 |
In this example the Alberta order keeps C$18.10 and the New Brunswick order C$13.13, a difference of C$4.97 on identical products at an identical shelf price. If most of the store's customers are in HST provinces, its real average margin sits well below what a spreadsheet using the Alberta figure would suggest.
None of this is a reason to change pricing on its own. It is a reason to measure profit per order by where orders are delivered, and to price with the province mix in mind. The Product Pricing Calculator gives the net price your costs require; adding each rate on top shows the tax-included price for each province.
What Canadian stores should look at
- Split revenue and profit by delivery province, not only by product.
- Check that reported revenue excludes the GST/HST collected.
- Track your four-quarter taxable supplies against the small supplier threshold if you are not yet registered.
- Include cross-border shipping and any duties in unit costs for stock you import.
- Plan stock for the long distances and seasonal swings. The Inventory Reorder Calculator shows when to reorder given your supplier's lead time.
- Check what each new customer costs to win. The CAC Calculator works out acquisition cost and payback.
Tax rules have details this article does not cover, such as provincial sales taxes and particular goods. Your accountant and the CRA's guidance are the authority for your own case.
The Founding 10,000
Splitting profit by delivery province needs every order, not a sample, and that is what ORVX Core reads from a Shopify store. The Founding 10,000, which ORVX calls the $1.9M Commerce Initiative, gives an eligible store that year of Core free: 12 months at $0, and no credit card asked for. Ten thousand places exist in total, shared across all countries and allocated in activation order, so a Canadian store takes one from the same pool.
The calculation behind the name: 10,000 stores x $190 standard annual Core price = $1,900,000. It is the greatest value the offered subscriptions could reach at standard pricing. Treat it as a measure, not a payment; it is not cash, funding, a grant or revenue.
At the end of the year you choose: approve Core at its standard $19 per month or $190 per year, charged in US dollars, or let it lapse. Intelligence, at $39 per month or $390 per year, stays outside the offer. ORVX runs this itself; it is not a government program, and Shopify does not fund it.
What Core includes
For a Canadian store, Core covers six things. Profit: net profit by order, product and collection, starting from revenue and product costs. Store data: orders, products, refunds and fulfilment, synced from Shopify. Reporting: any date range, in Canadian dollars and your time zone when your store uses them. Customers: each one's orders and value. Inventory: units on hand and the money they represent. Advertising: Meta and Google spend taken into net profit, shown with MER and AOV. Connections only ever read, and alerts point out numbers worth a look.
Ask ORVX, NOVA's recommendations, forecasting and the deeper intelligence modules are part of the Intelligence plan. Core does not calculate or file GST/HST.
How to claim
- Connect the store from the Shopify App Store, or by linking it to an orvx.ai account.
- Eligibility is confirmed automatically: an active store, no previous Founding place, and places left. Development and test stores are excluded; a current paid plan is not changed.
- Turn on Core. The year starts on activation, the expiry date appears in the app at once, and reminders follow at 30, 7 and 1 days before it. There is no automatic renewal charge.
The full terms, and a live count of places, are on the Founding 10,000 page. Standard plans are on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Are Canadian stores eligible for the Founding 10,000?
Yes. Eligible Shopify stores in Canada can claim a place. The 10,000 places are one pool shared with stores in every other country.
Will ORVX show my figures in Canadian dollars?
Yes. Reports use your store's currency and time zone. Only ORVX's own subscription price, after the free year, is in US dollars.
Does ORVX register me for GST/HST or file returns?
No. ORVX reports on the data in your store. Registration and filing remain with you and your accountant.
Do I have to give a credit card?
No. The Founding year needs no card and no checkout, and nothing is charged during it.
Is the offer linked to the CRA or a federal program?
No. It is ORVX's own offer, not a government program, and it is not funded by Shopify.
What happens after 12 months?
You are reminded 30, 7 and 1 days before the end. You continue only if you approve Core at the standard price; otherwise Core access ends and your data is kept.
Sources
- The $1.9M Commerce Initiative: terms and FAQ (ORVX, checked 26 October 2026)
- GST/HST provincial rates table (Canada Revenue Agency, checked 26 October 2026)
- Charge and collect the tax: which rate to charge (Canada Revenue Agency, checked 26 October 2026)
- When to register for and start charging the GST/HST (Canada Revenue Agency, checked 26 October 2026)
General information only: tax, duty and import rules change and depend on your situation, so check with an accountant or the official source before acting.