Hello all,
Well I just want to give all the readers some news of Canada about postal rates increasing soon this year around april first, and NO it is not an April's fool.
Here in Canada, there are only 2 Provinces which have sales taxes, Québec & Ontario, All other Provinces their taxes are hamornized with the Federal Govt. it means the customers pays only one tax of 15% on their purchases.
But here in Québec, we are the only Province to pay the tax on the tax. It sounds weird ? let me explain it.
But first, look at the prices of the stamps right now, and after the first of April:
Canada Post 2014 Stamp Program
Updated: Jan 2/14
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First-class Postal Rates
Rates in effect at start of year: •
Domestic: 63c
•USA: $1.10
•International: $1.85
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Proposed rates for March 31, 2014:
•Domestic: 85c
•USA: $1.20
•International: $2.50
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Now when you buy stamps you pay 5% federal sale taxes which mean if you buy a 0.63 cents stamp to mail a letter Canada Wide it is 0.63C X 5 % = 0.68c and you pay the Provincial sale tax of 9,75%
on the 0,68c = o,68c X 9,75% = 0.75 cents.
A stamp for a letter (QSL) in the USA is 1.10$ X 5% = 1.15$ X 9.75% = 1.27$
A stamp for a letter (QSL) World Wide = 1.85$ X 5% = 1.94$ X 9.75% = 2.13$
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Now with the next increase in april
The new prices should be:
Canada wide = 0.85c = 0.98 cents with the combined taxes.
USA = 1.20$ = 1.38$ with all the taxes
World Wide = 2.50$ = 2.88 with all the taxes.
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1- What do you think will happen with the QSL'ing in the future ?
2- What do you think will happen with the National Club subscriptions ?
3- Do you think it will affect the Natinal Organizations, as they already have a tight budget for outgoing QSL's ?
4- For many years the Canadian and the Québec Outgoing QSL bureau, send respectively about only 4 times a year sometimes less the member's qsl to various bureau around the world.
5- I Wonder how it goes in your respective countries ?
Only time will tell, but it would be fun to know your stories about the increase of postal rates.
Do you think it shall be the end of QSL'ing ?
72 Michel\ back to my QSL backlog before the increase.....
