Nova Scotia along with the Canadian provinces set the tax rates of their individual tax system. The federal government defines the calculation of taxable income upon which these provincial rates applies. This chart summarizes the federal and provincial tax rates of four broad tax bases: personal income, corporate income, sales and excise.
Comparative Tax Rates For 2011 Tax Year (Updated as of April 26, 2011)
| | NL | PE | NS | NB | QC | ON | MB | SK | AB | BC | Federal |
| Personal Income Tax | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Basic Amount | $7,989 | $7,708 | $8,481 | $8,953 | $10,640 | $9,104 | $8,384 | $14,535 | $16,977 | $11,088 | $10,527 |
| First Bracket | 7.70% | 9.80% | 8.79% | 9.10% | 16.00% | 5.05% | 10.80% | 11.00% | 10.00% | 5.06% | 15.00% |
| Second Bracket | 12.50% | 13.80% | 14.95% | 12.10% | 20.00% | 9.15% | 12.75% | 13.00% | flat rate | 7.70% | 22.00% |
| Third Bracket | 13.30% | 16.70% | 16.67% | 12.40% | 24.00% | 11.16% | 17.40% | 15.00% | - | 10.50% | 26.00% |
| Fourth Bracket | - | - | 17.50% | 14.30% | - | | - | - | - | 12.29% | 29.00% |
| Fifth Bracket | - | - | 21.00% | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14.70% | - |
| Surtax | - | 10.00% | 0.00% | - | - | 20% & 36% | - | - | - | - | - |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Corporate Income Tax | | | | | | | | | | | |
| General Rate | 14.00% | 16.00% | 16.00% | 11%/10% (July 2011) | 11.90% | 12%/11.5 (July 2011) | 12.00% | 12.00% | 10.00% | 10.00% | 16.50% |
| Man. & Processing | 5.00% | 16.00% | 16.00% | 11%/10% | 11.90% | 10.00% | 12.00% | 10%-12% | 10.00% | 10.00% | 16.50% |
| Small Business Rate | 4.0% | 1.0% | 4.5% | 5.0% | 8.0% | 4.5% | 0.0% | 4.5%/2%
(July 2011) | 3.0% | 2.5% | 11.0% |
| Small Business Rate Threshold | $500,000 | $500,000 | $400,000 | $500,000 | $500,000 | $500,000 | $400,000 | $500,000 | $500,000 | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Capital Tax | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Minimum Tax Rate | | | | | | 2.70% | | | | 0.00% | |
| General Rate | - | - | 0.1%/.05 | | 0.00% | 0.000% | 0.00% | 0.00% | - | - | - |
| Financial Services | 4.00% | 5.00% | 4.00% | 3.00% | 0%+.0.25%/0.55% | 0.00% | 3.00% | 0.7%-3.25 | - | 0.00% | 1.25% |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Retail Sales | | | | | | | | | | | |
| General Rate (%) | 8.00% | 10.00% | 10.00% | 8.00% | 8.50% | 8.00% | 7.00% | 5.00% | - | 7.00% | 5.00% |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tobacco Tax | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cigarettes (per cigarette) | $0.1900 | $0.254 | $0.2152 | $0.1700 | $0.1060 | $0.1235 | $0.225 | $0.2100 | $0.2000 | $0.1850 | $0.08500 |
| Carton (per 200 pack) | $38.00 | $50.80 | $43.04 | $34.00 | $21.20 | $24.70 | $45.00 | $42.00 | $40.00 | $37.00 | $17.00 |
| Fine Cut (per gram) | $0.3200 | $0.193 | $0.2000 | $0.1374 | $0.1060 | $0.1235 | $0.215 | $0.2100 | $0.2000 | $0.1850 | $0.05785 |
| Tobacco Sticks | $0.1900 | $0.254 | $0.2152 | $0.1470 | $0.1060 | $0.1235 | $0.225 | $0.2100 | $0.2000 | $0.1850 | $0.0850 |
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| Gasoline Tax | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Unleaded (cents/litre) | 16.50 | 15.80 | 15.50 | 13.60 | 17.20 | 14.70 | 11.50 | 15.00 | 9.00 | 14.5-23.5 | 10.00 |
| Diesel (cents/litre) | 16.50 | 20.20 | 15.40 | 19.20 | 18.20 | 14.30 | 11.50 | 15.00 | 9.00 | 15.0-24.0 | 4.00 |
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To view Comparative Tax Rates for prior years (PDF):
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) administers the corporate income tax and large corporation's tax on behalf of the Province. The CRA can answer your business income tax questions for both federal and provincial income tax systems as well as the harmonized sales tax.
Personal Income Tax Inquiries: 1.800.959.8281
Business Tax and HST Inquiries: 1.800.565.2336
The Nova Scotia Provincial Tax Commission administers tobacco and fuel taxes. Inquiries: 1.800.565.2336 or 424.6300.