节礼日购物者利用免税优惠应对生活成本问题

周四，购物者涌向商场，利用节礼日折扣以及联邦政府提供的GST免税政策。但一些人表示，即使价格下降，仍不足以缓解当前的生活成本压力。

Shoppers crowded malls on Thursday to capitalize on Boxing Day discounts, enhanced by a federal GST holiday. However, some feel the lower prices still don't adequately address the rising cost of living.

两个月内，包括儿童玩具、电子游戏及其主机、零食、葡萄酒和餐馆食品在内的一系列商品可享受GST或HST免税（取决于省份）。这一免税政策激励了一些消费者趁节礼日折扣在本地零售商购物。

For two months, items like children's toys, video games, snacks, wine, and restaurant food are exempt from GST or HST, depending on the province. This tax relief has encouraged shoppers to take advantage of Boxing Day sales at local stores.

Nakul Singal周四上午与伴侣前往多伦多的Fairview Mall寻找折扣。“每年我们都能找到不错的折扣，”Singal说，他补充道自己一直在等节礼日买新耳机。“在这个时间购物很划算。”

Nakul Singal visited Toronto's Fairview Mall on Thursday morning with his partner to hunt for discounts. "We usually find good deals every year," he said, noting he'd been waiting for Boxing Day to buy new headphones. "It's a great time to shop around."

他还表示，虽然免税政策在食品价格方面有所帮助，但他希望政府能采取更多措施，帮助加拿大人应对高昂的生活成本，尤其是住房问题。“我希望他们能遏制通胀，”他说。“我们现在真的很难熬。”

He added that while the tax relief has helped with food costs, he wants the government to do more to tackle high living expenses, particularly housing. "I hope they can curb inflation," he said. "It's really tough right now."

加拿大零售理事会联邦政府关系副总裁Matt Poirier上周告诉《加拿大新闻社》，节礼日由于免税政策的影响预计会有所增长。然而，他表示，一些企业，尤其是支付系统较旧的企业，在短时间内实施免税政策和确定符合条件的商品时面临困难。

Matt Poirier, vice-president of federal government relations at the Retail Council of Canada, said last week that Boxing Day is expected to see a boost thanks to the tax break. However, he noted that some businesses, particularly those with older payment systems, have struggled to implement the policy and identify qualifying items.

本月早些时候，RBC Economics的一份报告显示，11月的零售支出有所放缓，黑色星期五周末的假日支出略低于2023年水平。RBC经济学家Carrie Freestone指出，自11月21日免税政策宣布以来，兴趣爱好、玩具和游戏类支出显著减少。“通常情况下，随着假期临近，热门儿童礼物的支出会增加，”Freestone写道。

An RBC Economics report from earlier this month showed a slowdown in retail spending for November, with holiday purchases during Black Friday weekend slightly below 2023 levels. RBC economist Carrie Freestone noted a significant dip in spending on hobbies, toys, and games after November 21, when the tax break was announced. "Typically, spending on popular children's gifts rises as the holidays approach," she wrote.

尽管11月支出下降，Freestone表示，加拿大第四季度人均零售支出自2022年中期以来首次有望小幅增长。

Despite November's decline, Freestone suggested that Canada may see a slight increase in per capita retail spending for the fourth quarter, marking the first growth since mid-2022.

GameStop多伦多北部一家分店的助理经理Joey Comia-Orellano表示，自免税政策宣布以来，店内顾客流量有所增加。购物者热衷于利用免税优惠。“我们在节礼日之前就迎来了很多顾客，”他说。

Joey Comia-Orellano, assistant store manager at a GameStop in north Toronto, noted an uptick in customer traffic since the tax break was announced. "We've been getting shoppers even before Boxing Day," he said.

Comia-Orellano补充说，他预计周四店内会更忙，因为消费者希望通过节礼日折扣和免税政策的结合来节省开支。“我注意到很多人购买更多的游戏、控制器，当然还有很多主机，”他说。

Comia-Orellano added that he expects Thursday to be even busier as shoppers take advantage of Boxing Day discounts combined with the tax break. "I've noticed a lot of people buying more games, controllers, and definitely consoles," he said.

与此同时，周四在Fairview Mall购物的Raj Jeetu表示，虽然他已经多次在餐馆利用了免税政策，但他对该政策能否长期帮助加拿大人持怀疑态度。“我不确定这是否会有多大帮助。我觉得价格确实需要下降，”他说。

Meanwhile, Raj Jeetu, another shopper at Fairview Mall on Thursday, said that while he has taken advantage of the tax break at restaurants several times, he remains skeptical of its long-term benefits for Canadians. "I'm not sure how much it will help. I think prices really need to drop," he said.

对于Comia-Orellano来说，顾客普遍反映虽然免税政策和节礼日折扣未能解决整体的可负担性危机，但仍然值得利用来节省开支。“这是必要的，假期期间确实很难，”他说。“这就像是税收方面的一小段缓解，虽然未必真正让事情变得更负担得起。”

For Comia-Orellano, customer feedback suggests that while the tax break and Boxing Day discounts might not address the overall affordability crisis, they are still worth it for the savings. "It's necessary; the holidays can be tough," he said. "This is like a small tax break, even if it doesn't make things significantly more affordable."