--- title: "Vancouver Tech Startup Accountant: SR&ED, PST and Options" url: https://www.everstonecpa.com/tech-startup-accountant-vancouver description: "Vancouver tech startups: SR&ED on Form T661, the refundable CCPC credit, grants, stock options, and GST plus BC PST on software. Send an enquiry." type: service-in-a-city updated: 2026-10-08 summary: "Vancouver tech companies claim SR&ED on Form T661 with the T2, and a Canadian-controlled private corporation can earn the enhanced refundable credit. Grants and similar assistance usually reduce the claim base. CCPC stock options are generally taxed when the shares are sold. Software sold in BC can attract 7% PST as well as 5% GST. EverStone handles the claim, the returns and both sales taxes remotely." faq_count: 6 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/) [Accountant in Vancouver](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-vancouver) Tech startups Tech startups & software · Vancouver # Tech startup accountant in *Vancouver* Vancouver’s software, gaming and applied-science companies share a pattern: years of spending on development before revenue settles, funding from several directions at once, and a two-tax sales system that catches software sellers other provinces leave alone. EverStone is a BC-based CPA serving Vancouver founders remotely. The [Vancouver small business accountant page](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-vancouver) covers the wider BC picture. [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online)[Ask a Free Question](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) **Quick answer:** Vancouver tech companies claim SR&ED on Form T661 with the T2, and a Canadian-controlled private corporation can earn the enhanced refundable credit. Grants and similar assistance usually reduce the claim base. CCPC stock options are generally taxed when the shares are sold. Software sold in BC can attract 7% PST as well as 5% GST. EverStone handles the claim, the returns and both sales taxes remotely. Published fees start at $325 a month for bookkeeping and $125 for a personal return. For a one-owner Vancouver tech startup, monthly bookkeeping, payroll and the year-end T2 with statements usually cost from $500 to $700 a month all-in. The year-end covers the T2 with Schedule 1 and Schedule 50, the CCA schedule, the small business deduction, T4 or T5 slips for the owner’s pay, and the instalments for the year ahead. Founders who have not yet incorporated can start with [incorporating versus staying a sole proprietor in BC](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/incorporate-vs-sole-proprietor-bc). For the national rules on first filings, see the [starting a business hub](https://www.everstonecpa.com/starting-a-business-hub). ## A research claim that pays in a loss year Most Vancouver startups spend two or three years losing money on purpose. The federal research program is built for that stage. A company that is a Canadian-controlled private corporation files its claim on [Form T661](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/scientific-research-experimental-development-tax-incentive-program.html) and can earn an enhanced credit that is refundable, so the company receives cash instead of a carry-forward it may not use for years. BC runs its own research credit on the same work, so a single set of project records feeds both claims. The technical write-up gets the attention. The financial side decides the size. Which engineers worked on which uncertainty, for how many hours, and at what salary: that is the claim. Build it into the monthly books with project codes and a simple timesheet, and year-end becomes an extraction exercise instead of a reconstruction. The [expenditure limit update](https://www.everstonecpa.com/tax-update/sred-expenditure-limit) explains how the enhanced rate is capped. ## When the money comes from more than one place A seed round, a federal innovation grant, a provincial program and a university partnership can all land in the same year. Each one needs to be labelled when it arrives. Assistance tied to research work generally reduces the expenditures the SR&ED credit is calculated on, so a grant booked as ordinary revenue inflates the claim. Equity money has no effect on the base, but a convertible note or SAFE has its own accounting and shows up on the balance sheet investors review. Keep a register: source, amount, the project it funded, the period it covers and any repayment conditions. It takes minutes a month and saves a painful review later. Investors and lenders will ask for it too, and the [Vancouver fractional CFO page](https://www.everstonecpa.com/cfo-services-vancouver) covers what a board pack needs. ## BC PST on software, and GST on everything else BC is one of the few provinces where a software company deals with a provincial sales tax as well as a federal one. [PST at 7%](https://www.everstonecpa.com/bc-tax-facts) applies to software sold to BC customers, including many subscription and downloaded products, and a Vancouver seller of software generally has to register and collect it. GST at 5% applies separately, with its own registration once taxable sales pass $30,000 in four consecutive calendar quarters. Many exports of services and intangibles to non-residents are zero-rated for GST. Two taxes mean two returns, two sets of rules and two places a billing system can be wrong. Tag every customer by location in the subscription platform from day one. The [BC PST guide](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/bc-pst-small-business-guide) sets out what is taxable, and [GST filing in Vancouver](https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-hst-filing-vancouver) covers the federal side. ## Paying founders and early staff Founders in Vancouver often take very little in the first years, then shift to salary once a round closes. A salary paid for time spent on qualifying development can form part of the SR&ED wage base; a dividend never does. Salary also runs through payroll: CPP, EI, source deductions and a T4 by the last day of February. BC adds WorkSafeBC coverage for staff and, once payroll passes the exemption, the Employer Health Tax. Early hires usually get options instead of market pay. In a CCPC, the option benefit is generally taxed when the employee sells the shares rather than at exercise, and it is reported on the T4 for that year. Keep a clean record of each grant, exercise price and exercise date. A founder advance or an expense paid personally belongs on a [shareholder loan tracker](https://www.everstonecpa.com/shareholder-loan-tracker), because a balance owed to the company and not repaid within one year after its year-end is generally taxed as income. ## Year-end when a raise is coming A priced round brings due diligence, and due diligence reads the financial statements. Revenue recognition on annual subscriptions, deferred revenue, capitalized development costs and the SR&ED receivable all need to be right before an investor sees them. A startup that closes its books monthly can answer data-room questions in days. One that closes once a year spends the raise fixing history. See [financial statements in Vancouver](https://www.everstonecpa.com/financial-statements-vancouver). ## What EverStone handles for you One CPA, one fixed fee agreed up front: - T2 corporate return with Form T661 and the SR&ED schedules - Project coding and time tracking for the research claim - Grant and funding register kept current - GST and BC PST registration and filings - Founder pay, payroll and stock option records - Monthly close and investor-ready statements ## Fixed fees, fully online Monthly bookkeeping starts from $325 a month with GST filing included. Fractional CFO support starts from $2,750 a month. The research claim and the T2 are quoted after we review your enquiry. See [what it costs](https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing). About this article **EverStone CPA** Prepared and reviewed by a Chartered Professional Accountant at EverStone CPA, a CPA firm working with small and midsized 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) ## What a Vancouver startup has to get right What a Vancouver startup has to get right The items that decide a startup’s year-end — for a business operating in Vancouver, British Columbia | Item | Why it matters | | Research claim | Form T661, filed with the T2, supported by project time records | | Funding received | Grants generally reduce the SR&ED base; equity does not | | Software sales | BC PST can apply to software as well as GST | | Option grants | A CCPC option benefit is generally taxed on sale of the shares | | Sales tax where you operate | 5% GST plus 7% BC PST: two registrations, two returns | Source: [Corporate tax hub](https://www.everstonecpa.com/corporate-tax-hub). General information, not advice. Common questions ## Vancouver accounting for tech startups FAQ **Is SR&ED worth claiming for a small Vancouver team?** Usually. A CCPC can earn a refundable enhanced credit, so even a small, loss-making team can receive cash. BC’s own research credit follows the same records. The cost of the claim is mostly the time records, which are cheap to keep during the year and expensive to rebuild. [Ask about your case →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) **Do we charge PST on our software?** Often, yes, for customers in BC. BC PST applies to many forms of software, and a Vancouver seller generally registers and collects it alongside GST. Sales to customers outside BC follow different rules. **Does a grant reduce our SR&ED claim?** Generally, yes. Government and other assistance for the same work usually reduces the expenditures the credit is based on. Record each grant against the project and period it funded. **How are options taxed for our employees?** In a Canadian-controlled private corporation, the benefit is generally taxed when the employee sells the shares rather than when they exercise. The company reports it on the T4 for the year of sale. **What do investors want to see from the books?** Monthly closes, deferred revenue on annual plans handled properly, a clear funding register and a reconciled cap table. Having those ready shortens due diligence. **Do you work with startups across Metro Vancouver?** Yes. EverStone serves founders in Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, North Vancouver and across BC and in Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba, entirely online. ## Related services and local guides Nearby cities, the rest of what we do for Vancouver businesses, and the reference pages behind this one. [E-commerce accountant in Vancouver GST and PST for online sellers, inventory, platform fees and corporate tax.](https://www.everstonecpa.com/ecommerce-accountant-vancouver) [Personal tax accountant in Vancouver T1 preparation for Vancouver founders, coordinated with the corporate return.](https://www.everstonecpa.com/personal-tax-accountant-vancouver) [Incorporation checklist What to set up in the first months](https://www.everstonecpa.com/incorporation-checklist) [Accounting & CPA services in Vancouver CPA services for Vancouver businesses](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-vancouver) [Bookkeeping in Vancouver Bookkeeping for Vancouver businesses](https://www.everstonecpa.com/bookkeeping-vancouver) [Corporate tax (T2) in Vancouver Corporate tax for Vancouver businesses](https://www.everstonecpa.com/corporate-tax-accountant-vancouver) [GST/HST filing in Vancouver GST/HST for Vancouver businesses](https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-hst-filing-vancouver) [Payroll in Vancouver Payroll for Vancouver businesses](https://www.everstonecpa.com/payroll-services-vancouver) [Accountants across British Columbia Remote CPA service throughout British Columbia](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-british-columbia) [British Columbia tax facts Current rates and thresholds for British Columbia](https://www.everstonecpa.com/bc-tax-facts) Fees are fixed and agreed in writing before the work starts; [the published fee page](https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing) shows the starting points. ### What clients say Rated 5.0 on Google across 21 client reviews. [Read all reviews](https://www.everstonecpa.com/reviews) ★★★★★ “…He is very knowledgeable and has saved me tons in taxes by restructuring my group of companies — the best accountant I've worked with in the last 10 years, after switching from three different firms.” Matt Hildebrandt Verified Google review ★★★★★ “…have been completing my bookkeeping, taxes and financials for the last 2 years and they have been amazing. Thank you!” R. H. Verified Google review ### Starting fees Every fee is fixed in writing before any work begins. - **Monthly bookkeeping, GST/PST filing included** from $325 a month - **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) ## Building a tech company in Vancouver? One CPA for your corporate tax, books and planning. Fixed fee, fully online. Send an enquiry. [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online)[Ask a Free Question](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) ## Remote startup accounting EverStone is a sole practitioner CPA firm, serving Vancouver owners entirely online. **There is no Vancouver office and no local staff.** Meetings are held by video or phone, documents come in through a secure upload link and are signed by e-signature, and no visit is required at any point. Project time, funding records and both sales tax accounts are kept in the same monthly file, so the research claim and the returns agree. ## Talk to a CPA about this One Chartered Professional Accountant, start to finish. Fixed fees, quoted in writing before any work begins, and no obligation from a first conversation. [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) [Ask a Free Question](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) Email info@everstonecpa.com --- Source: https://www.everstonecpa.com/tech-startup-accountant-vancouver Prices: https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing · Contact: info@everstonecpa.com · https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online