6 worked Nanaimo case studies — the position a client typically comes to us with, what we do, and what it is worth. Each is an illustrative example built on the rules that apply to Nanaimo and its provincial tax regime, not a specific client's file.
Case Study 1 · Missed incentive claimed
Incentive Review Recovered $18,000 Across 3 Open Years — Sports Academy, Nanaimo
Client: A sports academy · Where: Nanaimo, British Columbia · Engagement: 6 weeks, fixed fee
Recovered$18,000
Open years claimed3
Ongoing trackingIn place
The situation — A sports academy, Nanaimo, British Columbia
An incentive review at a sports academy in Nanaimo, British Columbia started from a simple question: what has never been claimed? The answer ran to 3 years. It was driven by British Columbia incentives claimed by competitors and never by this business.
What we did for A sports academy, Nanaimo, British Columbia
We registered the provincial payroll account, caught up the outstanding remittances, and applied for relief on the penalty. We documented eligibility to the standard a reviewer would apply rather than the standard a claim form requires.
The result — A sports academy, Nanaimo, British Columbia
The credits produced $18,000 across the open years. The tracking now in place means the following year's claim is documented as the work happens rather than reconstructed afterwards.
Case Study 2 · Objection and relief
$63,000 Of Penalties And Interest Cancelled On Relief — Condo Corporation Manager, Nanaimo
Client: A condo corporation manager · Where: Nanaimo, British Columbia · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Penalties and interest cancelled$63,000
Relief groundsAccepted
AssessmentAdjusted to filed position
The situation — A condo corporation manager, Nanaimo, British Columbia
An assessment of $63,000 landed at a condo corporation manager in Nanaimo, British Columbia following a desk review. It turned on provincial sales tax collected but never remitted on the separate BC return. The auditor had not seen the records behind it.
What we did for A condo corporation manager, Nanaimo, British Columbia
We recalculated the corporate tax at the 11% combined small business rate and rebased the instalments on the current year. We then set out the legislative basis for the position alongside the documents supporting it.
The result — A condo corporation manager, Nanaimo, British Columbia
$63,000 of penalties and interest was cancelled under the taxpayer relief provisions, and the underlying assessment was adjusted to match the filed position.
Case Study 3 · Planning that cut the bill
$14,500 Cut From The Annual Tax Bill — Four-Unit Condominium Host, Nanaimo
Client: An operator with four condominium units listed nightly · Where: Nanaimo, British Columbia · Engagement: 8 weeks, fixed fee
First-year saving$14,500
RepeatsAnnually
Filing positionUnchanged in risk
The situation — An operator with four condominium units listed nightly, Nanaimo, British Columbia
An operator with four condominium units listed nightly in Nanaimo, British Columbia was compliant but paying more than it needed to. The prior year had been filed correctly. It still left instalments still calculated on a year the business had long outgrown on the table.
What we did for An operator with four condominium units listed nightly, Nanaimo, British Columbia
We modelled the current position against the alternatives before changing anything. Then we separated the federal GST and BC provincial sales tax streams, reconciled both to the sales ledger, and filed the corrected provincial returns.
The result — An operator with four condominium units listed nightly, Nanaimo, British Columbia
The change saved $14,500 in the first year and repeats annually. Nothing about the filings became more aggressive. The position is simply the one the rules already allowed.
Case Study 4 · Sale and succession
Share Sale Restructured, $280,000 Less Tax On Closing — Bakery and Cafe, Nanaimo
Client: A bakery and cafe · Where: Nanaimo, British Columbia · Engagement: 6 weeks, fixed fee
Tax saved on closing$280,000
PriceAs agreed
Post-closing adjustmentsNone
The situation — A bakery and cafe, Nanaimo, British Columbia
A bakery and cafe in Nanaimo, British Columbia was preparing to sell. Due diligence surfaced retained cash well above what the business needed to operate. That would have reduced the price or killed the deal outright.
What we did for A bakery and cafe, Nanaimo, British Columbia
We cleaned up the historical file. We assessed and claimed BC Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit alongside the federal return. Then we prepared the due-diligence package the buyer's advisers actually asked for.
The result — A bakery and cafe, Nanaimo, British Columbia
The deal closed at the agreed price. $280,000 of tax was saved against the structure originally proposed, with no post-closing adjustment.
Case Study 5 · Deadline rescue
8-Week Turnaround Beat The Deadline And Saved $58,000 — Commercial Landlord, Nanaimo
Client: A commercial landlord · Where: Nanaimo, British Columbia · Engagement: 8 weeks, fixed fee
Late-filing penalty avoided$58,000
Filed with9 days to spare
Next yearPapers ready
The situation — A commercial landlord, Nanaimo, British Columbia
A commercial landlord in Nanaimo, British Columbia was weeks away from the deadline for its BC tax and accounting file. Behind that sat a provincial payroll levy that had never been registered for or remitted. The exposure if the date slipped was around $58,000.
What we did for A commercial landlord, Nanaimo, British Columbia
We assessed and claimed BC Small Business Venture Capital Tax Credit alongside the federal return. The filing went in complete rather than provisional, so there was no amended return to follow.
The result — A commercial landlord, Nanaimo, British Columbia
Filed with 9 days to spare. $58,000 in late-filing penalties avoided, and the working papers are ready for the following year.
Case Study 6 · Scaling without breaking
Growth Handled Without A Missed Filing, $70,000 Freed — Digital Product Agency, Nanaimo
Client: A digital product agency · Where: Nanaimo, British Columbia · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Cash freed$70,000
Compliance failuresNone
ReportingMonthly
The situation — A digital product agency, Nanaimo, British Columbia
A digital product agency in Nanaimo, British Columbia was opening in a second province. That meant different filing obligations and a different payroll regime. Input tax credits claimed against BC provincial tax, which is not recoverable the way GST is already sat in the file.
What we did for A digital product agency, Nanaimo, British Columbia
We registered the provincial payroll account, caught up the outstanding remittances, and applied for relief on the penalty. We then put monthly reporting in place. That let the owner see the cash effect of growth while there was still time to act on it.
The result — A digital product agency, Nanaimo, British Columbia
Growth was absorbed without a compliance failure. $70,000 of cash was released, and the monthly reporting now flags a problem while it is still small.
Reviewed by Udit Gupta, Founder and Tax Accountant for the 2025 tax year. These case studies are illustrative worked examples composed from the CRA rules that apply to this type of work, not specific client files; figures are representative and outcomes depend on your own facts.
