Buying gold in Yukon
Investment-grade gold (gold of at least 99.5% purity, in bars, wafers or coins) is exempt from GST/HST everywhere in Canada. In Yukon, jewellery and other taxable gold items carry 5% GST.
Gold has one national spot price in Canadian dollars: the prices on this page are the same as on the gold price in Canada page. What differs in Yukon is tax, explained below.
Sales tax on gold in Yukon
There is no territorial sales tax, so only the 5% GST applies to taxable items.
Taxable everywhere: 22K coins such as Krugerrands and American Gold Eagles, collector coins sold above their metal value and all karat gold below 24K, and gold jewellery. In Yukon these carry 5% GST, charged on the full price including the making charge or premium.
The federal rule
Under the federal Excise Tax Act, gold and platinum of at least 99.5% purity and silver of at least 99.9% purity, in bars, ingots, wafers or coins, are "precious metals" and are exempt from GST/HST. Coins below that purity (for example 22K Krugerrands and American Gold Eagles, or 90% silver coins), collector coins sold above metal value, sterling silver and all jewellery are taxable.
Tax when you sell gold in Yukon
When you sell, the CRA usually treats a profit on bullion held as an investment as a capital gain: half of the gain is added to your income and taxed at your federal and provincial rates (the 2024 proposal to raise the inclusion rate to two-thirds was cancelled in March 2025). Frequent trading can make profits fully taxable business income. The provincial part of your income tax is Yukon's, at your territorial marginal rate. Sales tax does not apply when you sell bullion to a dealer.
Gold in Yukon
Yukon is the home of the 1896 Klondike gold rush, and placer gold mining continues around Dawson City.
Buying and selling
Dealers in precious metals and stones must verify your identity for purchases of $10,000 or more and report cash transactions of $10,000 or more to FINTRAC. Dealers sell Maple Leafs and bars at a premium over the spot price shown here and buy back a little under it. The main bullion dealers and jewellers in the territory are in Whitehorse and Dawson City.
Selling gold or jewellery to a dealer in Yukon
- Licence: No territorial licence for gold, silver or jewellery buyers was found. Licensing is municipal: Whitehorse Business License Bylaw 2017-24 has special rules for pawn shops and second-hand stores. Applicants must give an RCMP consent form for a criminal record check of the owner and operator, and a licence is refused if an owner or operator has committed an offence of possessing or selling stolen property, robbery, theft or drug trafficking. Fees are set in the Fees and Charges Bylaw. Precious metal buyers are not named; a business selling used jewellery would fall under 'second-hand store' (a business selling previously owned goods, with listed exclusions such as books, furniture, clothing and used cars).
- Hold period: No hold period: the Whitehorse bylaw sets none for pawn shops or second-hand stores.
- What the dealer records: The Whitehorse bylaw sets no record-keeping or police reporting duties for pawn shops or second-hand stores.
- What sellers need: No seller ID rules in the Whitehorse bylaw.
- Who is exempt: Whitehorse: 'second-hand store' excludes sales from a bottle depot, wholesale dealer or garage sale, and several listed goods (for example books, furniture, clothing and used cars).
- The law: No territorial act found. Example local law: City of Whitehorse Business License Bylaw 2017-24 (adopted 7 August 2017; consolidated to Bylaw 2019-13, 8 April 2019), sections 5, 69 and 70.
Federal rules (FINTRAC): Dealers in precious metals and stones (DPMS) become reporting entities under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act when they buy or sell precious metals, precious stones or jewellery worth CAD 10,000 or more in a single transaction. They must run a compliance programme (compliance officer, written policies, risk assessment, training, two-yearly effectiveness review) and verify client identity for large cash, large virtual currency and suspicious transactions.
Quality marks: Quality marking of gold, silver, platinum and palladium articles is voluntary, but any mark used must be truthful and meet the standards and tolerances in the Precious Metals Marking Act and Regulations.
Tax and duty information last reviewed October 2026. Rules change — confirm with your dealer or tax authority before a large purchase.