HST jumps to 15 per cent in Nova Scotia on Canada Day

The Canadian Press Date: Wednesday Jun. 30, 2010 10:46 AM ET

HALIFAX — Shoppers in Nova Scotia will start digging a little deeper starting Canada Day because of a two percentage point hike in the province's harmonized sales tax. The tax increase, which brings the HST to 15 per cent, has drawn outrage from opposition politicians but the government says it needs the increase in revenue from the tax to help fight its burgeoning deficit.The increase in the provincial portion of the tax from eight to 10 per cent helps make Nova Scotia one of the highest taxed jurisdictions in the country.