6 Coquitlam 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 Coquitlam and its provincial tax regime, not a general example.
Case Study 1 · Sale and succession
Share Sale Restructured, $560,000 Less Tax On Closing — Recreation Facility Operator, Coquitlam
Client: A recreation facility operator · Where: Coquitlam, British Columbia · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Tax saved on closing$560,000
PriceAs agreed
Post-closing adjustmentsNone
The situation
A recreation facility operator in Coquitlam, British Columbia was preparing to sell. Due diligence surfaced retained cash well above what the business needed to operate, which would have reduced the price or killed the deal outright.
What we did
We cleaned up the historical file, recalculated the corporate tax at the 11% combined small business rate and rebased the instalments on the current year, and prepared the due-diligence package the buyer's advisers actually asked for.
The result
The deal closed at the agreed price. $560,000 of tax was saved against the structure originally proposed, with no post-closing adjustment.
Case Study 2 · Records and systems rebuilt
Books Rebuilt From Source, $13,000 In Unclaimed Input Tax Found — Craft Brewery with a, Coquitlam
Client: A craft brewery with a taproom · Where: Coquitlam, British Columbia · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Unclaimed tax found$13,000
Records rebuilt28 months
ProcessDocumented
The situation
A craft brewery with a taproom in Coquitlam, British Columbia could not answer basic questions about its own numbers, because instalments still calculated on a year the business had long outgrown sat between the bank statements and the ledger.
What we did
We separated the federal GST and BC provincial sales tax streams, reconciled both to the sales ledger, and filed the corrected provincial returns, 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, $13,000 recovered in input tax credits that the old file could not support, and a documented monthly process now in place.
Case Study 3 · Missed incentive claimed
Incentive Review Recovered $65,000 Across 6 Open Years — Land Development Company, Coquitlam
Client: A land development company · Where: Coquitlam, British Columbia · Engagement: 6 weeks, fixed fee
Recovered$65,000
Open years claimed6
Ongoing trackingIn place
The situation
An incentive review at a land development company in Coquitlam, British Columbia started from a simple question: what has never been claimed? The answer ran to 6 years, driven by BC Small Business Venture Capital Tax Credit eligibility that had never been assessed.
What we did
We assessed and claimed BC Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit alongside the federal return, documenting eligibility to the standard a reviewer would apply rather than the standard a claim form requires.
The result
The credits produced $65,000 across the open years, and the tracking now in place means the following year's claim is documented as the work happens rather than reconstructed afterwards.
Case Study 4 · Deadline rescue
$40,000 Late-Filing Penalty Cancelled On Relief Application — Bar and Live-Music Venue, Coquitlam
Client: A bar and live-music venue · Where: Coquitlam, British Columbia · Engagement: 6 weeks, fixed fee
Penalty cancelled$40,000
Relief applicationGranted
ReturnAccepted as filed
The situation
A bar and live-music venue in Coquitlam, British Columbia had already missed one deadline and was about to miss a second. Behind it sat a provincial payroll levy that had never been registered for or remitted, and a penalty of $40,000 was accruing.
What we did
We split the work into what had to happen before the deadline and what could follow it, then assessed and claimed BC Small Business Venture Capital Tax Credit alongside the federal return.
The result
The outstanding return was accepted as filed, and the taxpayer relief application cancelled $40,000 of the penalty already assessed on the earlier year.
Case Study 5 · CRA review defended
$15,000 Proposed Adjustment Withdrawn In Full — Custom Software Development Shop, Coquitlam
Client: A custom software development shop · Where: Coquitlam, British Columbia · Engagement: 11 weeks, fixed fee
Adjustment withdrawn$15,000
File closed in11 weeks
Penalties assessedNone
The situation
A custom software development shop in Coquitlam, British Columbia received a proposal letter opening a review of its bc tax and accounting file. The CRA had identified input tax credits claimed against BC provincial tax, which is not recoverable the way GST is and proposed an adjustment of $15,000, with 30 days to respond.
What we did
We treated the response as an evidence exercise rather than an argument. We registered the provincial payroll account, caught up the outstanding remittances, and applied for relief on the penalty, then indexed every supporting document against the specific line the auditor had questioned.
The result
The proposed adjustment was withdrawn in full — all $15,000 of it. The file closed in 11 weeks with no change to the assessed amounts and no penalty.
Case Study 6 · Objection and relief
$115,000 Of Penalties And Interest Cancelled On Relief — Music School, Coquitlam
Client: A music school · Where: Coquitlam, British Columbia · Engagement: 11 weeks, fixed fee
Penalties and interest cancelled$115,000
Relief groundsAccepted
AssessmentAdjusted to filed position
The situation
An assessment of $115,000 landed at a music school in Coquitlam, British Columbia following a desk review. The auditor had not seen the records behind 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, then set out the legislative basis for the position alongside the documents supporting it.
The result
$115,000 of penalties and interest was cancelled under the taxpayer relief provisions, and the underlying assessment was adjusted to match the filed position.
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.
