- The federal government plans to make counselling and psychotherapy exempt from the GST and HST.
- This would align them with other health care providers and services covered by provincial plans.
- The government recognizes that mental health services can be expensive and wants to make them more affordable.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of mental health care.
- Hourly appointments with a counsellor can cost over $100, and the costs increase for specialized services.
- The exemption is estimated to cost $10 million annually and is set to begin in the 2024-25 fiscal year.
- Legislation and royal assent are required for this tax measure to take effect.
Source: globalnews.ca
Note that this post was (partially) written with the help of AI. It is always useful to review the original source material, and where needed to obtain (local) advice from a specialist.
