As previously announced, on October 1, 2026, British Columbia was expanding Provincial Sales Tax (PST) to apply to several professional services that were previously exempt. These new rules were to apply to businesses providing:
- Accounting and bookkeeping services
- Architectural services
- Engineering and geoscience services
- Security and private investigation services
- Non-residential real estate services, including trading services, rental property management services and strata management services
On September 18, 2026, the BC government announced that this expansion will now be paused due to new and ongoing international trade disruptions and the resulting economic uncertainty. No future resumption date has been announced at this time.
What should you do now?
For those businesses that were expecting the October 1st PST to apply to their services but who have not yet registered for PST, we suggest not registering at this time. You should continue to monitor releases from the government for future registration requirements.
Those who have already registered and now have a PST account, we suggest keeping the account open by filing ‘nil’ returns based on your filing requirements. While no PST applies to your services at this time, the news from the BC Government indicates this will be a temporary deferral.
If you are unsure how these changes apply to your business, please contact our office. We would be pleased to discuss your specific circumstances and help you prepare for the upcoming changes.
Thank you for your attention.
The Lohn Caulder Team
