BRITISH COLUMBIA'S REGISTERED CLINICAL COUNSELLORS (RCCs) NOW EXEMPT FROM CHARGING GST FOR PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICES

Removal of GST for psychotherapy/clinical counselling services will improve access to mental health services

VICTORIA, BC, Jan. 29, 2025 /CNW/ - The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has officially confirmed that Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCCs) in BC are now exempt from collecting GST on psychotherapy services. The ruling impacts 8,000+ RCCs, improves mental health access for 5.6 million British Columbians, and puts BC on par with regulated provinces of QC, ON, PEI, NS, and NB.

The demand for mental health services in BC is at an all-time high. Removing GST/HST on psychotherapy services will lower barriers of access to quality mental health services for all British Columbians.

On June 20, 2024, the CRA declared that psychotherapy services were to be exempt from GST/HST.  However, the exemption, at that time applied only to clinical counsellors/psychotherapists practicing in regulated provinces.  For clinical counsellors/psychotherapists from unregulated provinces, such as BC, the CRA required that the practitioner show equivalency to a practitioner in a regulated province. This would have been logistically impossible for 8,000+ RCCs, requiring 20+ years of work. The BCACC issued a press release expressing concern over the impracticality of the rule and its negative impact on British Columbians.

To hasten the process, the BCACC contacted a regulatory college in a regulated province to evaluate the requirements of becoming an RCC with those of a practitioner in a regulated province. After a detailed analysis of BCACC's registration requirements, the college confirmed that for the purposes of GST/HST exemption, the qualifications of RCCs are "substantially equivalent" to those registered with the college. The BCACC then sent this letter to the CRA seeking a blanket GST/HST exemption for all RCCs, an exemption that the CRA confirmed on Dec 20, 2024.  As with psychologists, clinical counsellors/psychotherapists no longer have to charge GST for the mental health services they deliver to British Columbians. 

Speaking of the GST exemption, BCACC CEO Michael Radano says "The BCACC welcomes the CRA's decision to remove GST on psychotherapy services. This ruling ensures that every British Columbian has the same level of access to mental health services as those in regulated provinces. We look forward to working collaboratively with the CRA to ensure a smooth transition. The association is currently working to distill the information to its members through regular communiques so that they, in turn, can communicate this positive development to their clients"

BCACC: The BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) is a not-for-profit provincial professional association founded in 1988 with more than 9,000 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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