BCACC concerned about impracticality of GST/HST exemption of psychotherapy services and negative impact on British Columbians

British Columbians deserve same access to mental health services as Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island

VICTORIA, BC, Nov. 12, 2024 /CNW/ - While the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) welcomes the federal government's decision to exempt the practice of psychotherapy from GST/HST, it has very grave concerns about the impracticality of the proposed process for British Columbia. 

On July 15, 2024, the Canada Revenue Agency stated that certain psychotherapists and counselling therapists are no longer required to collect the goods and services tax (GST) or the harmonized sales tax (HST) on their services. CRA stated that psychotherapists and counselling therapists need not charge GST/HST if they "operate in a province with no regulatory body but have the equivalent qualifications required to meet the licensing requirements in a regulated province and practice psychotherapy/counselling therapy".

To prove that their qualifications and practice meet CRA's requirements, each psychotherapist in BC would have to get a regulatory college in a regulated province to review both their qualifications and practice. Reviewing the credentials of nearly 8,000 Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCCs), each requiring 1-2 weeks of work is a near impossible task which would take 20+ years to accomplish.

Additionally, professional regulation falls under the jurisdiction of each province.  Asking practitioners in one province to be vetted against the requirements of another province is quite an overreach on the part of the federal government.  

BCACC CEO, Michael Radano says "The demand for quality mental health services is at an all-time high. The removal of GST/HST on psychotherapy will break down barriers of access and bring BC on par with other provinces in this regard."

The BCACC has worked diligently and collaboratively with a regulatory college in a regulated province to author a formal letter that has been sent to the CRA. The letter compares BC's RCCs to that province's registrants and concludes with a statement that RCCs do indeed have substantially equivalent qualifications for GST/HST tax purposes (Supporting a blanket GST/HST exemption for all RCCs).

The BCACC sincerely hopes that the CRA will accept the blanket GST/HST exemption for all Registered Clinical Counsellors in British Columbia.  This will put BC on an equal footing with QC, ON, PEI, NS and NB and allow equitable access to mental health services for all British Columbians.

BCACC: The BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) is a not-for-profit provincial professional association founded in 1988 with more than 9000 members. BCACC advocates for the clinical counselling/psychotherapy profession and public access to mental health services. Its 8000 Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCCs) are held to the highest standards of practice and a strict code of ethics in service and protection of the public which includes a robust complaint, inquiry, and remedial process.  https://bcacc.ca

SOURCE BC Association of Clinical Counsellors

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