Shopping in Halifax/ Nova Scotia

Sunday shopping has recently become available in Nova Scotia. A handful of days a year are set aside with no major stores opening, these include Canada day and Remembrance day.

The main difference you will notice with shopping in Nova Scotia is that HST (similar to VAT) is applied to most goods and services. HST is charged at 13% and will not be on the ticket price in a shop (the exception is alcohol). Food is generally not liable for HST unless small quantities are bought, for example one small packet of crisps.

The main shopping Malls around Halifax are:

Bayer's Lake
Dartmouth Crossing
Halifax Shopping centre
Mic Mac Mall

There are plenty of other smaller malls around Halifax

Halifax and Bedford also have superb shopping facilities.

A very popular destination for new UK immigrants is Pete's Frootique which in part caters for the British market.

Provincial shopping in other main towns tend to be more localised or of a tourist nature.

Major retailers in Nova Scotia include:

Wal-Mart
Zellers
Future shop
The Brick
Canadian Tire
Atlantic Superstore
Sobey's
Home Depot
The Bay
Sears

Credit history is generally not transferable from the UK to Canada so in terms of credit rating you will be starting from scratch. Canadians tend to use credit cards more frequently than debit cards, although both will normally be taken at almost every store.