The price on the sign isn't the bill. Chains that charge every two weeks take 26 payments a year, most tack on a joining or annual fee, and your province adds anywhere from 5% to about 15% in tax. That's three things to count: the billing cycle, the fees and the tax. We'll take them in that order, with the cheaper public option on the same page.
On this page
What the big chains charge
Every chain we priced quotes its membership before tax, and each one says so in the fine print. Planet Fitness writes "Taxes extra." Fit4Less puts "(+ taxes)" after its prices. GoodLife says "All prices indicated are plus tax," Fitness World says "Prices do not include tax," and Éconofitness says "All displayed prices exclude taxes." GoodLife's catalogue lists three different Essential prices, and your home club decides which one you pay. Planet Fitness and Fitness World give starting prices that change by location. We've also turned every price into a monthly figure, counting 26 payments a year wherever the chain bills every two weeks.
| Gym and plan | Price on the page | Charged | Fees on top | Works out to a month, before tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planet Fitness Classic | From $15.00 | Monthly | $49 annual fee | $15.00 |
| Planet Fitness PF Black Card | From $29.99 | Monthly | $49 annual fee | $29.99 |
| Fit4Less 4Less Card, one club | $7.99 | Every two weeks | $49.99 annual fee at sign-up, then yearly | $17.31 |
| Fit4Less Black Card, all clubs | $13.99 | Every two weeks | $49.99 annual fee at sign-up, then yearly | $30.31 |
| GoodLife Essential, one club | $27.99 to $33.99, set by your club | Every two weeks | $59.99 joining fee | $60.65 to $73.65 |
| GoodLife Ultimate, all clubs and classes | $39.99 | Every two weeks | $59.99 joining fee | $86.65 |
| GoodLife Performance | $54.99 | Every two weeks | $59.99 joining fee | $119.15 |
| Fitness World Move, B.C. | From $12.99 | Every two weeks | $59.99 annual fee, plus an enrolment fee | $28.15 |
| Fitness World Goal, B.C. | From $23.99 | Every two weeks | $59.99 annual fee, plus an enrolment fee | $51.98 |
| Éconofitness Econo, Quebec | $10.99 | Every two weeks | None listed on the price page | $23.81 |
| Éconofitness Platinum, Quebec | $15.99 | Every two weeks | None listed on the price page | $34.65 |
All prices are before tax. Every-two-weeks prices are converted at 26 payments a year, divided by 12. Planet Fitness and Fitness World list starting prices that vary by location. Fitness World prices are lower on a 12-month term.
Every two weeks isn't twice a month
A year has 52 weeks. So a price charged every two weeks hits your account 26 times a year, not 24. Mixing those up is the easiest mistake to make with a Canadian gym quote. "Every two weeks" sounds like twice a month. It isn't.
Take $29.99 every two weeks. Doubled, it reads like $59.98 a month. But 26 payments come to $779.74 over the year, which is $64.98 a month, and $59.98 more than 24 payments would cost. In most years, two of the twelve months take three payments instead of two. Your start date decides which ones, and that's why one month's bank statement can look strangely heavy. The rule worth keeping in your head is the one the calculator uses: multiply the payment by 26, then divide by 12.
The fees that sit beside the price
Most chains charge something on top of the payments, and it comes in four kinds.
The joining fee comes once. GoodLife's catalogue lists a $59.99 joining fee on every club plan, and a banner on its club pages offers "$19.99 enrolment on select Memberships" until October 31, 2026. Fitness World charges an enrolment fee it doesn't print, and it's advertising "Join for $1." Joining fees can be discounted. Ask before you agree to the full amount.
The annual fee comes back every year. Fit4Less charges a "$49.99 (+ taxes) Annual Fee upon sign-up and every year thereafter." Planet Fitness lists an annual fee of $49. Fitness World bills a "$59.99 + tax" annual enhancement fee "5 weeks after joining."
Then come the add-ons nobody puts on the poster. Fit4Less sells a rate lock for "$9.95+tax every 3 months." Éconofitness offers a rate freeze at $1.75 every two weeks, but only when you register.
Last is the cost of leaving. Planet Fitness says its memberships "may include 12-month commitment," and if you cancel before the term ends, "you may be subject to a buyout fee." For gym contracts that require advance payment and cost over $50 before borrowing charges, Ontario caps initiation fees at twice the annual membership fee. Our guide explains what Ontario's rules say about a gym contract.
What your city's recreation centre charges
Cities do something chains rarely do: they publish the whole price list. To compare them fairly, we chose memberships that get you into the weight and cardio room, at the full adult rate with no discounts. Toronto's FitnessTO is the cheapest of the seven, at $177.70 a year before tax. Ottawa's 2026 price list puts its Plus membership at $460.68 a year. Calgary sells its Rec Pass by the month, and one pass covers its pools, arenas and fitness centres.
| City | Membership with the weight room | A year | Works out to a month | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | FitnessTO | $177.70 | $14.81 | Added at checkout |
| Ottawa | Active Ottawa Plus | $460.68 | $38.39 | HST added at payment |
| Mississauga | Fit membership | $548.30 | $45.69 | Added at purchase |
| Calgary | Rec Pass | Sold by the month | $59.55 | GST included in admission prices |
| Edmonton | Value membership | $530 | $44.17 | GST included |
| Winnipeg | Facility Pass | $532.01 | $44.33 | Included in admission fees |
| Halifax | Fitness centre membership | $297.67 to $476.27, by centre | $24.81 to $39.69 | Plus HST |
Adult rates for memberships that include the weight and cardio room. Calgary sells its pass monthly. Edmonton's annual Value membership includes 12 visits to its six large centres.
Two more city numbers are worth knowing. Toronto's FitnessTO All Access, which adds lane swims and drop-in classes, is $280.33 a year. And Edmonton sells its Value membership on a continuous monthly plan at $48, which comes to $46 more over a full year than the $530 annual price.
The fine print at a city gym
Each city words its terms differently, so read yours before you pay. Calgary promises "Zero contracts. Zero sign up fees. Zero cancellation fees." The catch is that you have to cancel in person. Edmonton says "No cancellation fees, no hidden costs." Its annual members get two holds of up to 30 days each, and continuous monthly members can cancel before the 15th of any month without a fee.
Toronto is stricter. "There are no refunds for memberships or multi-visit passes," and a lost key tag costs $14.13 to replace. Ottawa adds a 25% surcharge for non-residents and takes 20% off annual memberships for Ottawa Public Library cardholders. Mississauga charges non-residents an extra fee too, and gives 10% off when two or more members of the same family buy.
There's a trade-off for Ontario readers. The province's consumer rules for gym contracts don't apply to a gym run or funded by a municipality, or to a not-for-profit like the YMCA. So the city and the Y write their own terms, and those terms are the ones you live with. Our guide to how Ontario's gym contract rules work and who they cover shows where that line falls.
Where the YMCA fits
At the Mississauga YMCA, part of the YMCA of Greater Toronto, an adult 30 or older pays $63 a month. A young adult aged 22 to 29 pays $49. Both come with "taxes not included." Every membership there is a continuous monthly one, with fees taken out each month. Its price list shows a $100 join fee crossed out beside the words "No Join Fee." The YMCA of Greater Toronto posts prices branch by branch, so check the one you'd actually use. Before tax, $63 a month is $756 a year. That's more than any of the seven city memberships, and right in the range of GoodLife's Essential plan.
The sales tax your province adds
A gym membership is taxed like most services. What changes from province to province is how much, and in three provinces the provincial tax skips memberships entirely. Whether any of it comes back at tax time is a separate question, and our guide to provincial fitness tax credits covers that one.
| Province or territory | Tax on your bill | Total rate | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | GST | 5% | No provincial sales tax |
| British Columbia | GST | 5% | B.C.'s PST doesn't apply to memberships |
| Manitoba | GST | 5% | Memberships aren't on Manitoba's list of taxable services |
| New Brunswick | HST | 15% | One harmonized tax |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | HST | 15% | One harmonized tax |
| Northwest Territories | GST | 5% | No territorial sales tax |
| Nova Scotia | HST | 14% | Down from 15% since April 1, 2025 |
| Nunavut | GST | 5% | No territorial sales tax |
| Ontario | HST | 13% | One harmonized tax |
| Prince Edward Island | HST | 15% | One harmonized tax |
| Quebec | GST and QST | 14.975% | QST is 9.975% of the price before GST |
| Saskatchewan | GST | 5% | Gym memberships are exempt from PST |
| Yukon | GST | 5% | No territorial sales tax |
Rates from the Canada Revenue Agency and Revenu Québec, with each province's own sales tax guidance for B.C., Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Why Saskatchewan, B.C. and Manitoba charge only GST
Each of these provinces has its own sales tax, and each one leaves memberships out. Saskatchewan's PST bulletin, revised in May 2024, lists "Gym memberships or fitness facility memberships or classes (for all ages)" among the recreation charges "exempt from PST even when they are subject to GST." It adds that leisure passes covering a gym are exempt too. Watch out for the first edition of that bulletin, from March 2022, which still turns up online and lists gym memberships as taxable.
British Columbia answers the question in one line: "No, PST does not apply to memberships, event admissions, or tickets and passes for sporting or music events, as long as no taxable goods (e.g. a t-shirt) are provided with the membership or admission."
Manitoba gets there the other way round. Its retail sales tax is "generally not payable on services unless the service is specified as a taxable service in the Act." The province's July 2026 list of taxable services includes tanning but no membership of any kind. The 5% GST still applies in all three provinces.
Quebec's two taxes
Quebec adds two taxes, and the order matters. Revenu Québec charges QST at 9.975% "on the selling price excluding the GST." So the provincial tax is worked out on the price alone, not on the price plus GST. Add the 5% GST and the two come to 14.975% of the price on the sign.
Here's how that looks on a real payment. Éconofitness's Econo plan is $10.99 every two weeks. GST adds $0.55 and QST adds $1.10, so each payment comes out at $12.64. Over 26 payments, that's $328.64 for the year.
When the price already includes tax
To compare like with like, find out whether tax is already in the number. Every chain we priced quotes before tax. The cities split. Edmonton says "GST is included in price." Calgary's admission prices include GST, though its pass page doesn't say either way. Winnipeg's pass page says "Pass rates include all applicable taxes." Toronto, Ottawa, Mississauga and Halifax all add tax when you pay. So Edmonton's $530 is the whole bill, while Mississauga's $548.30 becomes $619.58 at the till once 13% HST goes on.
Work out what your first year really costs
The calculator needs five things, and you'll find all of them on the gym's price page or its sign-up form. Type the amount taken from your account each time, before tax. Pick how often it comes out: every week, every two weeks, once a month or once a year. Add the joining or enrolment fee (0 if it's waived) and the annual fee (0 if there isn't one). Then pick your province, or "My prices already include tax" for a tax-in price like Edmonton's.
It opens on an example. Say you pay $29.99 every two weeks, with a $59.99 joining fee and a $49.99 annual fee, in Ontario. That comes to $1,005.38 in year one, or $83.78 a month, against the $59.98 a month the sign seems to promise. Every year after, with no joining fee, the same plan costs $937.59, or $78.13 a month. The example is a made-up plan built from fees real chains charge, not any one chain's offer. It also leaves out personal training, which is a bill of its own: here's what a personal trainer costs on top.
What will a year at this gym cost?
Type in what the gym quoted you. We'll add the payments, the fees and your province's tax.
The amount that comes out of your account each time, before tax.
Every two weeks is 26 payments a year, not 24.
Charged once, when you join. Put 0 if it's waived.
Some gyms call it a maintenance or enhancement fee. Put 0 if there isn't one.
Pick 'already include tax' for a price that's tax-in, like Edmonton's city memberships.
Your first year: $1,005.38
That's $83.78 a month.
Every year after: $937.59, or $78.13 a month.
- 26 payments: $779.74
- Joining fee: $59.99
- Annual fee: $49.99
- Tax: $115.66
Read as twice a month, the sign suggests $59.98 a month.
Not included: early-exit fees, rate-lock add-ons and personal training.
Enter what you pay each time, even a rough number, and we'll add up the year.
Six questions to ask before you sign
You'll get the clearest answers before you hand over your banking details, not after. Take these six to the front desk, and write down what each gym tells you.
- What comes out of my account, and how often? Every two weeks means 26 payments a year, not 24.
- Is there a joining fee, and can you waive it today? Chains often discount it, so ask before you agree to the full amount.
- When does the annual fee come out? Some chains charge it the day you join and others a few weeks later.
- Is there a minimum term, and what does leaving early cost? Planet Fitness says some memberships carry a 12-month commitment and an early buyout fee.
- What's the total with tax for my province? Every chain we checked prices before tax.
- How do I cancel when the time comes? Fit4Less handles cancellations at a kiosk in the club, and Calgary's city pass must be cancelled in person.
Frequently asked questions
Is there HST on a gym membership?
Yes, in Ontario and Atlantic Canada. You'll pay 13% HST in Ontario, 14% in Nova Scotia and 15% in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and P.E.I. Everywhere else you pay 5% GST, plus 9.975% QST in Quebec. Saskatchewan, B.C. and Manitoba each have a provincial sales tax, but none of them charges it on a membership, so 5% is the whole tax there.
Why do gyms charge an annual fee?
Fitness World, the only chain we checked that gives a reason, says its $59.99 annual enhancement fee "funds facility upgrades, services and programs for our members." It bills that fee five weeks after you join. Fit4Less charges $49.99 at sign-up and every year after, and Planet Fitness lists $49. None of it shows in the per-payment price. Spread over a year, it adds about $4 to $5 a month.
Is Planet Fitness cheaper than Fit4Less?
Slightly, on their starting prices. Planet Fitness Classic at $15 a month plus its $49 annual fee comes to $229 a year before tax. Fit4Less's one-club card at $7.99 every two weeks plus its $49.99 fee comes to $257.73. The black card plans land within $5 of each other, at $408.88 and $413.73. The bigger difference is the contract: Planet Fitness says some memberships carry a 12-month commitment, while Fit4Less advertises no commitment period.
How much is GoodLife per month?
It depends on your home club. GoodLife's Essential plan runs $27.99 to $33.99 every two weeks, which works out to about $61 to $74 a month before tax. Ultimate, which adds every GoodLife club and group fitness classes, is $39.99 every two weeks, or about $87 a month. Expect a $59.99 joining fee unless a promotion cuts it. The current one, $19.99 on select plans, ends October 31, 2026.
How much is a city gym membership?
For an adult with weight room access, about $178 to $715 a year before discounts. Toronto's FitnessTO is $177.70 a year before tax. Ottawa's Plus membership is $460.68 plus HST, Edmonton's Value membership is $530 with GST included, and Mississauga's Fit membership is $548.30 plus tax. Calgary sells its Rec Pass at $59.55 a month with no sign-up fee.
How much is the YMCA per month?
At the Mississauga YMCA, an adult 30 or older pays $63 a month and a young adult aged 22 to 29 pays $49, plus tax. Its price list shows a $100 join fee crossed out and marked "No Join Fee." The YMCA of Greater Toronto posts prices on each branch's page, so look up the branch you'd use.
Narrow your list to two nearby gyms, ask each one the six questions, and run both quotes through the calculator with the real fees and your province. The cheaper sign doesn't always win the year: Fit4Less's $7.99 beats Planet Fitness's $15 on the poster and loses on the annual total. You can compare gyms near you on our directory. And if a weight room isn't what you're after, look at yoga studios and class passes, Pilates studios near you or kickboxing gyms instead.