6 Burnaby tax and accounting engagements in full — what the client came to us with, what we did, and what it was worth. Each one is specific to Burnaby and its provincial tax regime, not a general example.
Case Study 1 · Records and systems rebuilt
Books Rebuilt From Source, $6,500 In Unclaimed Input Tax Found — Recreation Facility Operator, Burnaby
Client: A recreation facility operator · Where: Burnaby, British Columbia · Engagement: 9 weeks, fixed fee
Unclaimed tax found$6,500
Records rebuilt29 months
ProcessDocumented
The situation
A recreation facility operator in Burnaby, British Columbia could not answer basic questions about its own numbers, because provincial sales tax collected but never remitted on the separate BC return sat between the bank statements and the ledger.
What we did
We recalculated the corporate tax at the 11% combined small business rate and rebased the instalments on the current year, then documented the process so the work does not depend on any one person remembering how it was done.
The result
Records rebuilt and reconciled, $6,500 recovered in input tax credits that the old file could not support, and a documented monthly process now in place.
Case Study 2 · Missed incentive claimed
$127,000 Credit Claim Filed And Accepted Without Adjustment — Craft Brewery with a, Burnaby
Client: A craft brewery with a taproom · Where: Burnaby, British Columbia · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Claim value$127,000
AcceptedWithout adjustment
RepeatableAnnually
The situation
A craft brewery with a taproom in Burnaby, British Columbia assumed the credits did not apply to a business its size. BC Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit eligibility that had never been assessed meant they had applied all along.
What we did
We identified the qualifying activity, built the documentation to support it, and separated the federal GST and BC provincial sales tax streams, reconciled both to the sales ledger, and filed the corrected provincial returns.
The result
$127,000 recovered. Because the eligibility analysis is on file, the same claim can be repeated each year with a fraction of the effort.
Case Study 3 · Deadline rescue
9-Week Turnaround Beat The Deadline And Saved $121,000 — Land Development Company, Burnaby
Client: A land development company · Where: Burnaby, British Columbia · Engagement: 9 weeks, fixed fee
Late-filing penalty avoided$121,000
Filed with6 days to spare
Next yearPapers ready
The situation
With the deadline for its bc tax and accounting file weeks away, a land development company in Burnaby, British Columbia was carrying sector-specific exposure the previous accountant had not seen before. The exposure if the date slipped was around $121,000.
What we did
We assessed and claimed BC Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit alongside the federal return. The filing went in complete rather than provisional, so there was no amended return to follow.
The result
Filed with 6 days to spare. $121,000 in late-filing penalties avoided, and the working papers are ready for the following year.
Case Study 4 · CRA review defended
$113,000 Proposed Adjustment Withdrawn In Full — Bar and Live-Music Venue, Burnaby
Client: A bar and live-music venue · Where: Burnaby, British Columbia · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Adjustment withdrawn$113,000
File closed in7 weeks
Penalties assessedNone
The situation
A bar and live-music venue in Burnaby, British Columbia received a proposal letter opening a review of its bc tax and accounting file. The CRA had identified a provincial payroll levy that had never been registered for or remitted and proposed an adjustment of $113,000, with 30 days to respond.
What we did
We treated the response as an evidence exercise rather than an argument. We assessed and claimed BC Small Business Venture Capital Tax Credit alongside the federal return, then indexed every supporting document against the specific line the auditor had questioned.
The result
The proposed adjustment was withdrawn in full — all $113,000 of it. The file closed in 7 weeks with no change to the assessed amounts and no penalty.
Case Study 5 · Objection and relief
Desk-Review Assessment Of $80,000 Vacated — Custom Software Development Shop, Burnaby
Client: A custom software development shop · Where: Burnaby, British Columbia · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Assessment vacated$80,000
Supporting recordsNow on file
AccountCleared
The situation
A custom software development shop in Burnaby, British Columbia was carrying $80,000 of penalties and interest arising from input tax credits claimed against BC provincial tax, which is not recoverable the way GST is, much of it accumulated during a period the CRA itself had delayed.
What we did
We registered the provincial payroll account, caught up the outstanding remittances, and applied for relief on the penalty and framed the relief application on the specific grounds the CRA guidelines recognise rather than on general hardship.
The result
The assessment was vacated. $80,000 came off the account, and the documentation now on file makes the same position straightforward to defend next time.
Case Study 6 · Scaling without breaking
Second-Province Expansion Handled, $29,000 Of Cash Released — Music School, Burnaby
Client: A music school · Where: Burnaby, British Columbia · Engagement: 6 weeks, fixed fee
Cash released$29,000
New registrationsComplete on day one
Compliance gapsNone
The situation
Revenue at a music school in Burnaby, British Columbia was up sharply and cash was tighter than ever. Underneath it sat provincial sales tax collected but never remitted on the separate BC return.
What we did
We recalculated the corporate tax at the 11% combined small business rate and rebased the instalments on the current year. Every new obligation — registration, remittance frequency, provincial filing — was set up before it was triggered, not after.
The result
$29,000 of cash was released from the working capital cycle, and the expansion completed with every registration and filing obligation covered from day one.
Reviewed for the 2025 tax year by Udit Gupta, Certified Tax Accountant. Figures describe representative engagements of this type; outcomes depend on your own facts. Client names and identifying details are omitted for confidentiality.
