Tax holiday winds down to mixed reviews from Ottawa restaurateurs [Video]

While many restaurants in Ottawa celebrated the GST/HST holiday at its outset, some say it hasn’t been as beneficial as they’d hoped.

The tax holiday, which was billed as a break for Canadians on the purchase of certain goods including prepared foods, launched in mid-December. After two months, it’s set to end on Saturday. 

Restaurant sales typically drop by an average of 10 per cent in January and February, according to industry advocate Restaurants Canada. While the tax holiday offered a welcome boost during the industry’s slowest time of the year, it left many restaurants hungry for more.

“I might say it helped, but not as much as I expected, unfortunately,” said Magdi Bazara, owner of 3Cents Resto & Cafe in Ottawa’s …