Updated August 2026 · Verified against Government of British Columbia / Creative BC guidelines
▲ Growing Tax Credit Offset Est. 1998
Tax Credit Provincial Active

BC Production Services Tax Credit (PSTC)

Government of British Columbia / Creative BC
Maximum Credit
36% of eligible costs
Open (rate increased to 36% for productions starting after Dec 31, 2024)
Visit Official Program →
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Tax Credit Offset
Trend
Growing
First-Timers
—
Credit rate
66%
BC Production Services Tax Credit (PSTC) provides up to 36% base rate plus separate credits: regional production 6%, distant location 6%, DAVE 16%, major production (BC costs over $200M) 2%; no cap on the credit. Refundable tax credit at 36% base rate for film and television production services in BC, with additional credits for regional production (6%), distant locations (6%), digital animation, visual effects and post-production (16% DAVE), and major productions with BC costs over $200M (2%). Open (rate increased to 36% for productions starting after Dec 31, 2024).
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Eligibility & Details

What this program funds and who can apply

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Program Description

Refundable tax credit at 36% base rate for film and television production services in BC, with additional credits for regional production (6%), distant locations (6%), digital animation, visual effects and post-production (16% DAVE), and major productions with BC costs over $200M (2%). No Canadian content requirements and no spending cap, making BC one of the most competitive jurisdictions globally for film production.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Corporation with permanent establishment in British Columbia
  • No Canadian content requirements — open to foreign productions
  • No spending cap on eligible BC labour expenditures
  • Production must be substantially shot or produced in BC
  • Must obtain an accreditation certificate from Creative BC before claiming (submit the application within 12 months of your corporation's tax year end)
Provinces
British Columbia
Industries
Film Media Television Creative Industries
Business Stage
Growth Established Expansion

Quick Assessment

Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
Low
First-Timer
Not rated

Funding Details

Amount
36% base rate plus separate credits: regional production 6%, distant location 6%, DAVE 16%, major production (BC costs over $200M) 2%; no cap on the credit
Type
Tax Credit
Level
Provincial
Credit rate
Up to 66% of eligible costs
Deadline
Open (rate increased to 36% for productions starting after Dec 31, 2024)

Program Scorecard

Competition, effort, and approval at a glance

Competition
Low
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Entitlement
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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What's in this Playbook

Everything you need to claim PSTC

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How to claim

Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like

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Insider Tip

Rate increased to 36% in the 2024 budget — making BC the most competitive Canadian jurisdiction for production services when combined with the 16% DAVE bonus (52% effective rate for VFX work).

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Success Profile

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Evaluation Criteria

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Application Playbook

Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses

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Application Steps

1 Establish a BC corporation with permanent establishment in British Columbia for the production

Required Documents 8

✓ Creative BC accreditation certificate application
✓ Creative BC accreditation certificate — a separate one is required for each production

Eligible Expenses 8

Ineligible Expenses 7

Claim timing

Deadline Notes

Ineligible Organizations

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Funding Stack Strategy

Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential

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Compatible Programs

Federal Film or Video Production Services Tax Credit (CAVCO PSTC) Creative BC Domestic Motion Picture Fund Creative BC Location Bonuses
Combined Funding Potential See your total funding potential

Clawback Risk

Low Risk

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How PSTC Compares

Side-by-side with similar programs

Free
Program Amount Difficulty Payment Deadline
BC Production Services Tax Credit (PSTC) 36% Moderate Tax Credit Offset Open (rate increased to...
Film or Video Production Services Tax... 16% Easy Tax Credit Offset Ongoing
Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit 25% of eligible BC Moderate Tax Credit Offset Ongoing
Creative Industries Funding Varies Moderate Reimbursement Ongoing (multiple...
Creative Export Canada Up to $2,500,000 Hard Varies Annual Calls

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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about PSTC

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Can foreign studios apply for the PSTC?
Yes, no Canadian content requirements — foreign productions qualify for full 36% rate (52% with 16% DAVE bonus) if they have a BC corporation and shoot substantially in BC.
What's the typical credit amount for a $5M production?
It tracks BC LABOUR, not total budget. A $5M feature with roughly $2M of accredited BC labour earns about $720,000 at the 36% base rate, plus the DAVE bonus on any qualifying animation, VFX and post labour and the regional or distant-location bonuses if they apply. Most indie and mid-budget productions land somewhere between $100,000 and $2,000,000.
How long does it take to get the refund?
Longer than most producers expect — plan on 12 to 24 months from the production period. The sequence is: apply to Creative BC for the accreditation certificate after the production wraps (submit within 12 months of your tax year end, or Creative BC cannot guarantee it will be processed in time to file), then attach it with form T1197 to your T2 return. BC publishes no refund service standard.
Why do applications fail?
No BC permanent establishment (must have local corp), production not substantially shot in BC, or a missing Creative BC accreditation certificate — note that is the accreditation certificate, not the completion certificate used by FIBC/CAVCO.
Can I stack this with other credits?
Yes: Federal CAVCO PSTC (16%) stacks for foreign productions, plus Creative BC location bonuses add to base rate.

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