GST/HST compliance is where many businesses lose money quietly—through missed ITCs, incorrect filings, late remittances, and disorganized records that fail under review. CRA’s guidance is direct: registrants have responsibilities to charge/collect GST/HST, file returns, and remit amounts; eligible registrants may claim ITCs to recover GST/HST paid on business purchases. Whether you are registering for the first time, filing monthly/quarterly/annual returns, or facing CRA questions, BOMCAS Canada’s GST/HST Services are built to make compliance routine, defensible, and financially efficient.
GST/HST Services
Who this service is for
GST/HST services are for:
- Businesses approaching the GST/HST registration threshold (“small supplier” edge cases).
- Registrants filing monthly, quarterly, or annually.
- Businesses claiming significant ITCs (especially in growth phases).
- Businesses with multi-province customers or mixed supplies.
- Businesses that want a clean system before a CRA audit or review.
The CRA provides guidance on GST/HST registration and on what registrants must do after registering. For foundational definitional issues (like “small supplier”), CRA has issued memoranda explaining the threshold calculation and when a person ceases to be a small supplier.
What GST/HST compliance includes
A complete GST/HST service should cover:
- Registration strategy (when needed, how to register, what effective date makes sense).
- Return preparation and filing based on a system you can defend.
- ITC discipline so you recover what you are entitled to—without claiming what you cannot support.
- Method selection (regular method vs. quick method, when eligible).
- Record retention and audit readiness.
CRA explains that after you register, responsibilities include charging and collecting GST/HST, completing and filing a return, and remitting the tax collected, and notes you may be eligible to claim ITCs.
Benefits to your business
Increase after-tax profitability through correct ITCs. CRA explains ITCs allow registrants to recover GST/HST paid or payable on purchases related to commercial activities (subject to eligibility and documentation).
Reduce penalties and interest risk. CRA states reporting requirements and deadlines matter and warns penalties/interest can be charged on late returns or late payments.
Build audit resilience. If a CRA audit arises, your ability to show clean records and a coherent method of calculating net tax can make or break the experience. CRA provides recordkeeping guidance, including timing rules for how long to keep GST/HST records.
Detailed GST/HST service offerings
GST/HST registration support.
CRA provides an official registration pathway and describes registrant responsibilities. We help you decide:
- whether you’re required to register (including small supplier analysis),
- the effective date implications,
- and how to set up CRA online access to manage filings.
Small supplier threshold analysis.
CRA’s memorandum on small suppliers explains who qualifies as a small supplier, how the threshold is calculated, and when small supplier status ends. This matters because registering too late creates liability risk, while registering too early can create compliance overhead (but may allow earlier ITCs).
GST/HST return preparation and filing cadence.
CRA provides official guidance on reporting requirements and deadlines for filing GST/HST returns and notes the due date on personalized returns (and next-business-day rules when due dates fall on weekends/holidays recognized by CRA). BOMCAS prepares and files returns on the cadence that fits your reporting period.
Input Tax Credit review and optimization.
CRA explains ITC eligibility at a high level: you may claim ITCs only to the extent purchases/expenses are for consumption, use, or supply in your commercial activities, and CRA lists examples of common purchases where ITCs may or may not be available. We implement an ITC system that is both financially optimized and documentation-backed.
Quick method assessment and election support.
CRA publishes a “Quick Method of Accounting for GST/HST” guide that explains eligibility, how to elect, how to revoke, and how remittances are calculated under the quick method. We assess whether the quick method could simplify your compliance and improve cash flow, and we implement it where appropriate.
Records and audit-ready workflow design.
CRA provides specific guidance on record retention and timing for GST/HST records. We help you build:
- invoice standards (what must be captured to support ITCs),
- monthly close routines,
- and a retention system that supports rapid response if CRA asks questions.
BOMCAS GST/HST process
Step one: System discovery.
We assess your current bookkeeping, invoicing, and filing history, including whether returns match your financial statements.
Step two: Registration/threshold decisions.
If not registered, we evaluate small supplier rules and recommend next steps based on CRA guidance.
Step three: Return workflow (repeatable).
We create a repeatable monthly/quarterly/annual workflow: reconcile sales, confirm tax collected, validate ITCs, compute net tax, and prepare the filing.
Step four: Documentation and retention.
We build a retention and evidence map aligned to CRA recordkeeping expectations.
Step five: Continuous improvement.
We identify recurring errors, optimize processes, and help you stay on schedule.
Engagement options and pricing
- GST/HST Setup & Registration Package
- Ongoing GST/HST Filing (Monthly/Quarterly/Annual)
- ITC Optimization Review
- Quick Method Assessment + Implementation
- Audit-Ready Records Overhaul
Pricing varies—contact for quote. (Exact pricing is unspecified.)
Compliance and legal considerations
GST/HST is legislated under the Excise Tax Act. CRA’s published administrative guidance supports compliance across these requirements:
- Registration and post-registration responsibilities are described by CRA.
- Small supplier rules and threshold guidance are addressed in CRA’s GST/HST memoranda.
- Reporting requirements, filing deadlines, and late consequences are addressed in CRA guidance.
- ITCs and eligibility concepts are explained by CRA, alongside common eligible/ineligible purchase examples.
- Quick method election mechanics are described in CRA’s RC4058 guide.
- Record retention timing is addressed in CRA recordkeeping guidance.
This page is general information; GST/HST results depend on facts (commercial activity, exempt supplies, place-of-supply rules, documentation quality, and reporting periods).
Client scenarios
Scenario A: Contractor near the $30,000 threshold.
A small service business approaches the small supplier threshold and is unsure whether to register. We evaluate the threshold calculation and timing using CRA’s small supplier guidance, then either register and implement a filing system or document why registration is not yet required.
Scenario B: Growing business claiming large ITCs.
A business is consistently receiving refunds due to high input costs. CRA explains ITC eligibility and documentation concepts; we build an ITC evidence protocol to reduce audit risk and protect refunds.
Scenario C: Business wants a simpler method.
A business is overwhelmed by GST/HST paperwork. CRA’s quick method guide provides eligibility and election steps; we assess eligibility and potential outcomes, then implement if beneficial.
FAQs
When do I have to register for GST/HST?
It depends. CRA provides an official registration guide and publishes detailed small supplier rules that explain threshold calculation and when you cease to be a small supplier.
What are my responsibilities after I register?
CRA states registrants must charge/collect tax, file returns, remit tax collected, and may be eligible to claim ITCs.
How do ITCs work?
CRA explains ITCs allow you to recover GST/HST paid/payable on purchases and expenses related to commercial activities, subject to eligibility and documentation.
When is my GST/HST return due?
CRA notes that due dates depend on your reporting period and that your personalized return shows the due date; it also explains weekend/holiday timing rules.
How long do I have to keep GST/HST records?
CRA provides record retention guidance for GST/HST records with timing rules, including a six-year framework that begins after the last year a record may be required for GST/HST reporting purposes.
Trust signals
BOMCAS describes itself as providing tax and accounting services, including GST filings, to clients in Canada, with operations centered in Alberta and services offered across provinces. The GST/HST framework used here follows CRA’s core guidance on registration, ITCs, deadlines, quick method, and records.
If you want GST/HST handled accurately—with the ITCs you’re entitled to and the documentation you need—contact BOMCAS Canada.
PHONE: 780-667-5250; FAX: 780-851-2520; EMAIL: info@bomcas.ca; https://bomcas.ca.
