POS & Inventory Software for Canadian Small Businesses: GST, HST and PST
Selling in Canada means dealing with more than one sales tax at the same time. Depending on the province, a shop charges GST, HST, PST or QST, sometimes in combination, and customers pay by Interac debit as often as by credit card. This guide covers what a Canadian small business should look for in point of sale and inventory software.
GST, HST, PST and QST in plain language
GST is the 5% federal tax. Some provinces (Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island) combine federal and provincial tax into a single HST, between 13% and 15%. British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba charge their own PST on top of GST, and Quebec has QST alongside GST. Rates change, so confirm yours with the Canada Revenue Agency or your provincial authority.
In RetailMatrix you enter the tax rate that applies to your sales and mark which products are taxable. If your province charges GST and PST separately, set the combined rate for products where both apply and keep itemised records for your accountant. RetailMatrix does not calculate tax automatically by customer address.
The small supplier threshold
Most Canadian businesses must register for GST/HST once their taxable revenue passes $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters; below that you are a small supplier and registration is optional. Your accountant can tell you whether it is worth registering voluntarily to claim input tax credits.
Whatever your status, the practical need is the same: accurate, itemised sales records that make a filing period a short job instead of a weekend of spreadsheets.
Payments: credit card, Interac and e-Transfer
Canadian customers pay with credit card, Interac debit and Interac e-Transfer, and increasingly tap-to-pay on phones. A POS should connect to a card provider you trust and let you record the others cleanly.
RetailMatrix includes Stripe and PayPal connections and records card-machine and bank transfers at the till. You can also add Interac Debit, Interac e-Transfer or any other method you take under Settings, and it appears straight away in the Payment Method dropdown when you ring up a sale. These added methods are recorded manually; they are not live connections to Interac.
Inventory and multi-location realities
Many Canadian small businesses sell in-store and online, or work seasonally. Look for real-time stock updates, low-stock alerts, returns handled against the original sale, and WooCommerce or Shopify stock sync if you also sell online.
Staff accounts with separate permissions keep cost prices and profit reports away from part-time staff while still letting them ring up sales.
A short checklist for a Canadian small business
- Can you set the sales tax rate for your province and mark taxable products?
- Can you add Interac Debit or Interac e-Transfer as payment methods on the till?
- Are itemised sales and tax records easy to give to your accountant?
- Does stock update on every sale, with purchase orders for suppliers?
- Does it sync stock with WooCommerce or Shopify if you sell online?
- Does pricing work for a small business, with a free trial before you commit?
Where RetailMatrix fits, and where it does not
RetailMatrix suits independent retailers, repair shops, wholesalers and service businesses that want sales, quotes, invoices, clients and stock in one browser-based system, with a 14-day free trial and no card required. It needs an internet connection while you sell, it does not calculate provincial tax automatically, and it does not file GST/HST returns.
Frequently asked questions
What is the GST/HST small supplier threshold in Canada?
Generally $30,000 of taxable revenue over four consecutive calendar quarters. Below it, GST/HST registration is optional. Confirm the current rule with the CRA or your accountant.
Can RetailMatrix handle both GST and PST?
You set the tax rate used on a sale and mark products as taxable, so you can use the combined rate your province requires. RetailMatrix does not automatically split or calculate tax by address, so check your setup with your accountant.
Can I add Interac e-Transfer as a payment method?
Yes. Add it under Settings, Payment Methods, and it shows in the Payment Method dropdown on every sale. It is recorded manually, which means it is not a live link to Interac.
Does RetailMatrix work for a business selling online and in-store?
Yes. It can sync stock two ways with WooCommerce or Shopify, so selling in the shop updates online and the other way around.
Try it on your own products, free for 14 days
No card required. Add your products, set your tax rate and payment methods, and ring up a real sale in minutes.
Start Your Free Trial See all featuresThis guide is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Tax rates, thresholds and rules change, so confirm your own obligations with your tax authority or a qualified accountant.