Chartered Professional Accountants
News
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
We want to keep you informed about upcoming changes to BC’s Provincial Sales Tax (PST), which are currently legislated to take effect on October 1, 2026.
Services That Will Become Taxable
Starting October 1, 2026, PST will apply at 7% to the following services:
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Accounting services, including bookkeeping and assurance services
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Architectural services
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Engineering and geoscience services
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Security services, including private investigation services
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Non-residential real estate services, including trading services, rental property management, and strata management services
For architectural, engineering, and geoscience services, PST will apply only to 30% of the purchase price of those services.
Impact on Your Accounting Fees
Our tax, accounting, bookkeeping, and assurance services will fall under the newly taxable PST services. This means we will be required to charge the 7% PST (in addition to the 5% GST) on these, beginning with the October 1, 2026 effective date.
What This Means for Businesses
If your business provides any of these services, you may need to register to charge, collect, and remit PST on affected sales starting October 1, 2026, unless a specific exemption applies.
If your business purchases these services, you will also see PST added to invoices where it did not apply before.
How Location Matters: Services in BC vs. Outside BC
PST applies to services used in British Columbia, which means:
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Services provided in BC: If the service is used in BC or pertains to BC matters, PST will apply, even if you are located outside BC.
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Services provided outside BC: If the service is used outside BC and does not pertain to BC matters, PST generally will not apply, even if you are a BC-based client.
If you have operations in both BC and other jurisdictions, or if services are provided for both BC and non-BC matters, we can help you determine how much of the services are considered “in BC” and therefore subject to PST.
What to Do Now
We recommend reviewing your service lines, billing systems, and contracts now, so you are prepared ahead of the effective date. Businesses in affected industries should also assess whether their pricing, invoicing, and tax setup need to be updated.
How We Can Help
As further details are expected to come this summer, our team is monitoring the changes closely and can help you assess how they may apply to your business. Please reach out if you would like help understanding whether your services are affected or how to prepare for the transition.
Elaine, Janine, Brian and the Hughesman Morris Liversedge team.