Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland visit Vince’s Market, a grocery store in Sharon, Ontario, on Nov. 21. The government on Thursday announced a sweeping promise to make goods like groceries, children's clothing, Christmas trees and restaurant meals free from GST/HST between Dec. 14 and Feb. 15.

A federally-imposed "tax holiday" could end up being costly for some provinces, and officials from two provincial governments said they were "blindsided" by the prime minister's announcement Thursday that the federal government is suspending the sales tax for some goods.