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Disadvantages of Immigrating to Canada

People immigrate for different reasons but mostly it is because they would want to start a new life in a new country. However, immigrating...

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HomeLife in CanadaGuide to Tipping in Canada

Guide to Tipping in Canada

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Tipping denotes a reward or incentives for doing a great service. This is a good thing for workers who barely get a minimum wage. But common apprehension of people is how much should we tip? Is tipping mandatory? This article serves as a guide to tipping in Canada.

Tipping: Mandatory or Voluntary?
Tipping in Canada is claimed to be similar with that of the United States. On average, tipping runs between 15% and 20%, the latter for exceptional service. To say bluntly, tipping is personal and not mandatory. However, some establishments obligate tipping especially when large groups dine in. This is commonly referred to as automatic gratuity wherein restaurants (commonly) charge 15% tip automatically to customers. This 15% charge is calculated from GST or Goods and Service Tax which is 5%. This will be multiplied thrice resulting in 15% charge.

meal_tippingTipping: The Not-So-Good News
While workers seem to get advantage from tipping, the government of Canada mandates workers who receive tips to report and pay income tax to the Canada Revenue Agency. Meanwhile, in the province of Quebec, the government agency charges the servers 8% of their total sales regardless if gratuity is served.

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Trivia: The word “Canadians” is used to signify a bad tipper. The idea stems from the fact that (nearly all) Canadians are far less gracious in terms of giving tips. It is revealed that 42% of Canadians snub a hair stylist, colorist and assistants, and 24% of Canadians do leave nothing after a spa treatment. As a result, some would say that Canadians need some serious talk about tipping

The following summarizes the tipping charges in Canada:
· Cab, between 10% and 20% of the fare
· Airport shuttle, a minimum if $2
· Parking valet, between $5 and $10
· Chambermaid, up to $ 5 a day
· Room service, 15%
· Waiter, between %15 and 20%
· Bartender, between %15 and 20%

Tipping is Sometimes All About Common Sense
While tipping in restaurants is imperative, this is not entirely the case. Sometimes, it is just customary to leave a tip. For example, if a hotel staff obtains a movie ticket for you or when a room attendant carries your heavy, long luggages. These are scenario that is worth a run for your money!

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On the whole, tipping is a personal choice and it is up to you if who to give a gratuity and how much you tip. After all, tipping should not be a point of issue, everybody especially those who are in blue collar jobs deserve to earn extra cash for laborious work, and tipping is one way of saying “thank you” for a performing a great job.

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