I am very excited to announce that psychotherapy and counselling services will no longer have GST charged, effective immediately Friday December 20, 2024. This comes late after the Federal Government of Canada announced in July that psychotherapy services in Regulated Provinces would have GST exemptions. Since British Columbia is an unregulated province, we have been instructed to continue to charge GST up until last Friday. After much advocacy and lobbying from our association, the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and Registered Clinical Counsellors alike, we have finally achieved written permission from the Canada Revenue Agency.
What does this mean for clients?
Moving forward, any services rendered on or after December 20, 2024 will be GST exempt. However, services rendered prior to this date (i.e. unpaid invoices, outstanding balances, etc.), will have GST charged to them.
Prices for your sessions will go down to the base rate (i.e. 140$/ session).
Clients will save the money they once paid in GST as it will not be rolled into the session rates (i.e. session prices will go down, not go up to roll the tax into the new base rate).
What services are covered?
Here is a list of services that are GST exempt in BC:
clinical treatment/counselling/psychotherapy services
clinical supervision
clinical assessment
clinical reports
clinical consultation
group therapy
support groups
couples/marriage services
psychotherapy interventions
clinical collaboration with multi-professional teams
Here is a list of services that will continue to have GST in BC:
standalone life coaching
mediation
teaching workshops, seminars, courses on psychotherapy
books, educational materials
standalone hypnotherapy
We are very excited to move forward as recognized professionals in the therapeutic world and the Federal Government of Canada's acknowledgement of our equivalency to regulated provinces is a huge step forward for Counsellors and their client's in British Columbia. We hope that this small step furthers our ability to provide accessible care to British Columbians and helps to reduce barriers. As always, we will continue to support and lobby for more changes to improve standards of care and access to care moving forward.
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