BC Pauses October 1 PST Expansion on Professional Services

BC has paused the planned October 1, 2026 expansion of its 7% provincial sales tax (PST) to professional services. Bookkeeping, accounting and the other affected services stay exempt from PST for now, and the Province hasn't set a new date.

Status as of October 10, 2026.

What Was Paused

BC's February 2026 budget planned to apply PST to the services below starting October 1, 2026. On September 18, the Province announced it was pausing the expansion in response to international trade disruptions and economic uncertainty. It estimates the pause saves individuals, businesses and local governments about $260 million in 2026-27.

The existing PST exemption on these services stays in place. Nothing new is being collected because of this expansion.

Where the Pause Stands Now

BC's PST pages now carry a pause notice, and they point to a new exemption in Order in Council 408/2026. The Province calls this a pause. It hasn't announced whether the expansion will return or, if it does, when.

What to Do Now

1. Don't charge PST on these services because of this expansion. It isn't in effect.
2. Review anything you changed for October 1. That includes invoices, contracts, software tax settings and price lists.
3. If you registered for a PST account because of this expansion, BC says to cancel it through eTaxBC or by calling 1-877-388-4440. If you're registered for other PST reasons, such as selling taxable goods, check with the Ministry of Finance before cancelling.
4. If you already charged PST on these services, talk to your accountant or the Ministry about how to correct it.
5. Check for PST obligations that have nothing to do with this expansion. BC PST already applies to many goods and some services, and this pause covers only the professional-services expansion.

GST/HST is a federal tax and isn't affected by this announcement.

Find the Post for Your Situation

• You sell bookkeeping in BC: Do bookkeepers need to charge PST in BC?
• You pay a bookkeeper in BC: Will I pay PST on my bookkeeper's fees in BC?
• You manage non-residential property: Does BC PST apply to property management fees?
• You earn real estate commissions: Does BC PST apply to real estate commissions?
• You want the national picture: Sales tax on bookkeeping services in Canada, by province

Will It Come Back?

Nobody knows yet. Watch for news instead of assuming either way, and check gov.bc.ca/pst for the latest. We'll update this article if the Province announces anything further.

If you're not sure whether something you sell falls inside or outside this pause, ask Margot (bottom right of this page, free to try, no sign-up). She'll give you a plain answer, or tell you when it's one for your accountant.

FAQ

Is the PST expansion cancelled or delayed? Paused. The Province hasn't announced whether the expansion will return or, if it does, when.

Does this affect GST/HST? No. GST/HST is a separate federal tax and isn't touched by this announcement.

I already started charging PST in preparation for October 1. What do I do? Don't continue charging PST because of the professional-services expansion. If you've already issued invoices or collected amounts based on the planned change, review them and talk to your accountant or the Ministry about how to correct them.

When will I know if the expansion is coming back? There's no signal yet beyond the Province's statement that it's paused. Treat any restart date you see elsewhere as unconfirmed until it comes from the Province directly.

Source: B.C. pauses PST expansion to professional services amid ongoing trade uncertainty, Province of British Columbia, September 18, 2026.

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