Hi,

I'm planning to move to montreal this summer and wanted to know if its possible to buy a car in alberta for use in montreal (due to no PST on goods in alberta). Apart from driving the car to montreal myself, are there any other options to get the car from alberta? Is it true that there is no sales tax on second hand cars in alberta? Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.

No - it isn't true about sales tax in Alberta. If you buy from a dealer you will pay GST. If you buy privately you won't (though I believe you're 'supposed' to)

As for buying a car here and taking it to Montreal, you should check with the Montreal authorities to see what, if any rules are in place regarding that

GST yes, but PST is another 8%

Unfortunatley I think that if it were possible we would all be doing it . Im not sure how it would work though , but perhaps its like buying a used vehicle, then I think they will get you for the tax (based on the book value) when you go to register it.

There was something in the media recently about the BC government trying to claw back the PST from BC residents hopping over to costco in AB to buy stuff. Dont know how that would work either, I think they were trying to get Costco to give them names etc.

Perhaps its is just the prospect of the monotony of driving through the flatlands of SK and MB that is preventing a boom in AB auto sales?

Something I never knew till just now is that in Quebec the PST is 7.5% of the total of (cost + GST), but in ontario is 8% of only the cost, so the 7.5% sales tax in Quebec is actually a hair more than the 8% in ON!

I had a TR6 from Alberta. I inquired about getting it Ontario plates but they wanted to charge sales tax on the book value which was more than I was willing to pay. I suppose the same would be true in Quebec. I just used the car on the Alberta plates though that's doubtless against all manner of tedious rules and regulations.

That is standard practice for a used vehicle in Ontario, regardless of where you get it. I wonder how it works for transfering a new vehicle thats already registered in your name though.

How did you get AB plates in your name if you arent resident in Alberta? or are you an AB resident for tax purposes?

It was never in my name, it had plates on it when I bought it. When I went to register it I thought the price too high so I left it as it was. Similarly, I use a boat trailer on plates that came with it, I've no idea who they're registered to.

Very interesting, no vehicle or trailer sold in Canada should come with plates.

Plates do not stay with the vehicle or trailer as they do in the UK.

Indeed. I have a whole stack of plates from vehicles I've sold or returned at the end of the lease, mainly ON but some NF, CA, CO and UT as well as the AB ones from the TR6.

If you buy a car in Alberta, you will have to register it at your Alberta address, insure and get the plates. You then have to drive it to Montreal ( that in itself is a long drive, Canada is a large country) and then when you get there you may have to have it examined for road worthiness (I know you do in Alberta) pay to change the plates, and get insurance changed.

So you save 8% and possibly spend a whole lot more.