--- title: "GST and PST Filing in Abbotsford BC | Returns, Registration" url: https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-hst-filing-abbotsford description: "GST and BC PST filing for Abbotsford businesses — zero-rated farm sales, refund positions, filing frequency and reconciliation, remotely. Ask a CPA." type: service-in-a-city updated: 2026-10-08 summary: "For Abbotsford businesses, British Columbia runs 5% federal GST and 7% provincial PST as two separate systems with two registrations. Sales of many basic agricultural and food products are zero-rated, meaning no tax is charged but input tax credits remain claimable, which leaves the seller recovering more tax than it collects. GST/HST filing is included in monthly bookkeeping from $325 a month." faq_count: 8 publisher: EverStone CPA Inc., a Chartered Professional Accountant firm registered with CPA British Columbia and CPA Alberta service_area: British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba language: en-CA contact: info@everstonecpa.com · https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online --- [Home](https://www.everstonecpa.com/) Abbotsford GST/HST & PST · Abbotsford # GST/HST filing in *Abbotsford* Many Abbotsford businesses sell items with no GST and buy items with it, so they are always owed a refund. The biggest lever is a [filing frequency](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/publications/rc4022.html) few chose deliberately. EverStone files GST and [PST](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/sales-taxes/pst) for [Abbotsford businesses](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-abbotsford) remotely. [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online)[Ask a Free Question](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) **Quick answer:** For Abbotsford businesses, British Columbia runs 5% federal GST and 7% provincial PST as two separate systems with two registrations. Sales of many basic agricultural and food products are zero-rated, meaning no tax is charged but input tax credits remain claimable, which leaves the seller recovering more tax than it collects. GST/HST filing is included in monthly bookkeeping from $325 a month. In a refund position, filing frequency is a cash flow decision. ## Zero-rated is not the same as exempt, and the difference is your money Two categories charge the customer no sales tax but work oppositely. A **[zero-rated](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/publications/rc4022.html)** supply is taxable at 0%, so you keep [input tax credits](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/publications/rc4022.html) on inputs. An **exempt** supply is outside the system, so tax on inputs becomes a permanent cost. ## Why an Abbotsford producer is usually owed money For an Abbotsford producer, this decides the return. Basic groceries and many agricultural and fishing products are zero-rated, while fuel, equipment, packaging, repairs and fees carry recoverable 5% GST. The CRA owes the business money most periods. See [zero-rated versus exempt supplies](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/zero-rated-vs-exempt-supplies-gst-hst-canada). ## If you are always in a refund position, your filing frequency is a cash flow decision Filing frequency is usually seen as paperwork. For a business with a structural refund, it is more: every period that passes leaves money with the CRA instead of in your account. A producer filing annually is effectively lending the government a year of GST on inputs, interest-free. Frequency follows annual taxable supplies, but you can often *elect to file more frequently than required*, turning a yearly lump into regular refunds. Keep complete purchase records and supplier registration numbers, and reconcile returns to the books, not a bank feed. Read [what the CRA checks](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/gst-hst-audit-what-cra-checks), because refund claims draw more attention. ## PST runs alongside, on its own rules BC did not harmonize. Its 7% PST is registered and filed separately with the Ministry of Finance, and **PST paid on business inputs is generally a cost rather than a recoverable credit**. ## Farm and production exemptions from PST BC exempts certain categories of farm and production equipment, so confirm each item rather than assuming an industry exemption. Our [BC PST guide](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/bc-pst-small-business-guide) covers registration, and rates are on the [BC tax facts page](https://www.everstonecpa.com/bc-tax-facts). ## What the engagement covers - GST/HST registration, or a review of your current filing frequency - Returns prepared and filed on your reporting schedule - Sales classified correctly between taxable, zero-rated and exempt - Input tax credits identified and claimed, including on capital purchases - Separate BC PST registration and returns where PST applies - Reconciliation of both filings back to your bookkeeping - CRA correspondence and refund follow-up handled for you ## Remote, from an office that happens to be here EverStone is a sole practitioner CPA firm working online: records arrive electronically, returns are reviewed by video, and approvals are signed digitally. The [sales tax calculator](https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-hst-calculator) lets you check a figure first. If [corporate tax accountant in Abbotsford](https://www.everstonecpa.com/corporate-tax-accountant-abbotsford) and [the Abbotsford personal tax page](https://www.everstonecpa.com/personal-tax-accountant-abbotsford) is the more pressing job, start there instead. Owners who need [monthly books for Abbotsford businesses](https://www.everstonecpa.com/bookkeeping-abbotsford) and [personal tax accountant in Abbotsford](https://www.everstonecpa.com/personal-tax-accountant-abbotsford) as well will find it on the same terms. About this article **EverStone CPA** Prepared and reviewed by a CPA at EverStone CPA, serving businesses in BC, Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba. Updated September 2026 . [About the firm](https://www.everstonecpa.com/about) · [Send an enquiry](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) ## Sales tax that applies to an Abbotsford business Sales tax that applies to an Abbotsford business Sales tax in British Columbia | Tax | Rate | Administered by | | GST | 5% | Canada Revenue Agency | | PST | 7% | BC Ministry of Finance | | HST | Not applicable | — | Source: [British Columbia tax facts](https://www.everstonecpa.com/bc-tax-facts). General information, not advice. Federal return and payment dates for each reporting period are on the [GST filing deadlines page](https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-filing-deadlines). In Abbotsford, EverStone also works with [dental practices](https://www.everstonecpa.com/dental-accountant-abbotsford) and [farms](https://www.everstonecpa.com/farm-accountant-abbotsford). Common questions ## Abbotsford GST and PST questions **If my sales are zero-rated, should I still register for GST?** Almost certainly. Zero-rated supplies are taxable at 0%, so registering preserves input tax credits; staying unregistered makes input tax a permanent cost. [Ask about your case →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) **What is the difference between zero-rated and exempt in practice?** Neither charges the customer. Zero-rated supplies stay taxable at 0%, so input credits are claimable; exempt supplies are outside the system, so input tax is a cost. The law sets the category. **Can I file GST more often than the CRA assigned?** Usually yes — a registrant can generally elect to file more often than required. For a business consistently owed refunds, that turns an annual lump sum into regular inflows, usually worth the small extra administration. **Is PST recoverable the way GST is?** No. British Columbia’s 7% PST has no input tax credit equivalent, so PST paid on business inputs is generally a cost. That is the practical difference between a PST province and a harmonized one. **Are farm purchases exempt from BC PST?** Certain categories of farm equipment and supplies are exempt, but by category, not for agriculture generally. Confirm the treatment for each item rather than assuming an industry-wide exemption covers the whole invoice. **Do I need to visit an office?** No. The practice runs remotely by design, with video meetings, secure document exchange and e-signature, so an engagement here runs exactly as it would for a business elsewhere in BC. **What does GST/HST filing cost in Abbotsford?** The fee is the same in Abbotsford as elsewhere. On monthly bookkeeping, from $325 a month, the GST return is included. For the return alone, you get a written quote after we review your records. [Published fees are listed here](https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing). **Do you work with businesses outside Abbotsford itself?** Yes. Producers and shops in Clearbrook, Matsqui, Sumas Prairie and Bradner get the same service on the same fixed fees. Records come in through a secure upload link, and we talk by video, phone or email. ## Related services and local guides Nearby cities, the rest of what we do for Abbotsford businesses, and the reference pages behind this one. Valley-wide: [GST and PST filing for Fraser Valley businesses](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/gst-pst-filing-fraser-valley-businesses) — who registers for which, filing frequency, contractors and farms. [Late GST filing penalties in Canada: what missing the deadline actually costs](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/late-gst-filing-penalties-canada) [How to change your GST/HST filing frequency (and when you can t)](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/change-gst-hst-filing-frequency) [GST34: GST/HST Return for Registrants](https://www.everstonecpa.com/forms/gst34) [Cash flow in a seasonal business instalments, GST/HST and the lumpy year](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/managing-cash-flow-seasonal-business-canada) [GST/HST Filing Tracker A free spreadsheet tracking GST/HST collected and input tax credits by period, calculating the net owing so filing becomes transcription, not archaeology.](https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-hst-filing-tracker) [Marketplace GST/HST rules: when the platform collects and when you must](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/ecommerce-marketplace-facilitator-rules-canada) [GST/HST filing in Mission](https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-hst-filing-mission) [GST/HST filing in Aldergrove](https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-hst-filing-aldergrove) [GST/HST filing in Langley](https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-hst-filing-langley) [Payroll in Abbotsford](https://www.everstonecpa.com/payroll-services-abbotsford) [CFO services in Abbotsford](https://www.everstonecpa.com/cfo-services-abbotsford) [Accounting & CPA services in Abbotsford](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-abbotsford) [Everything on GST and HST](https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-hst-hub) [GST/HST calculator Work out the tax on any amount](https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-hst-calculator) [Accountants across British Columbia](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-british-columbia) [British Columbia tax facts](https://www.everstonecpa.com/bc-tax-facts) [Accountants in the Fraser Valley](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-fraser-valley) [Per-diem, fuel tax and logbook help for Abbotsford carriers](https://www.everstonecpa.com/trucking-accountant-abbotsford) [GST/HST and PST filing](https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-hst-filing-services) [GST and PST filing across the Fraser Valley](https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-hst-filing-fraser-valley) ### Starting fees GST/HST and PST filing is included in monthly bookkeeping. Every fee is fixed in writing before any work begins. - **Monthly bookkeeping, GST/PST filing included** from $325 a month *This page* - **Payroll, remittances, T4s and ROEs** included in monthly bookkeeping - **Books, payroll and the year-end T2 together** $500–$700 a month - **Corporate year-end and T2 return** fixed fee, quoted in writing - **Personal tax return (T1)** from $125; self-employed or rental $275–$500 - **Catch-up bookkeeping** from $2,200 per year of records - **Controller or CFO support** controller from $1,650, CFO from $2,750 a month - **One-off advice call with a CPA** $225 plus GST [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online?service=monthly#enquiry-form) --- Source: https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-hst-filing-abbotsford Prices: https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing · Contact: info@everstonecpa.com · https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online