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A $70,000 salary in British Columbia leaves $54,348 a year after tax, CPP and EI, or $4,529 a month. The same salary in Alberta leaves $54,107, which is $241 less, and in Ontario $53,786, which is $562 less. Moving from BC at this pay costs a little in income tax, but sales tax can reverse the result.
What would you keep at $70,000 if you moved from BC to Alberta or Ontario?
You would keep $241 less in Alberta and $562 less in Ontario, as of October 2026. Federal tax and payroll deductions are identical in all three, so the whole difference sits in the provincial line. The table shows an estimate for a single employee with basic credits and no other income.
| Line (2026, $70,000) | British Columbia | Alberta | Ontario |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $7,278 | $7,278 | $7,278 |
| Provincial income tax | $3,294 | $3,535 | $3,856 |
| CPP | $3,957 | $3,957 | $3,957 |
| EI | $1,123 | $1,123 | $1,123 |
| Take-home per year | $54,348 | $54,107 | $53,786 |
| Take-home per month | $4,529 | $4,509 | $4,482 |
| Take-home every two weeks | $2,090 | $2,081 | $2,069 |
Rounded lines can be a dollar off the total. Ontario’s provincial line includes the Ontario Health Premium of $600 at this income (Ontario: health premium). BC has no equivalent charge.
Why does BC keep more at this pay level?
BC’s tax rates are low through the middle of the range. The Canada Revenue Agency: 2026 tax rates and income brackets lists BC at 5.6% on the first $50,363 of taxable income and 7.7% from there to $100,728. Alberta charges 8% on the first $61,200 and 10% above, so most of the income near $70,000 is taxed at a higher rate than in BC. Ontario charges 5.05% to $53,891 and 9.15% above, plus the health premium. That is why BC leads at this pay.
The next dollar tells the same story. A dollar of extra pay at $70,000 is taxed at 28.2% in BC, 29.65% in Ontario and 30.5% in Alberta.
What happens once sales tax is counted?
Alberta comes out ahead once sales tax is counted, because it has no provincial sales tax. Shoppers pay 5% GST in Alberta, 12% in BC (5% GST plus 7% PST) and 13% HST in Ontario, per the Canada Revenue Agency: GST/HST rates and the provincial sales tax rules. Suppose $25,000 a year of your spending carries the full tax. Many basics, such as most groceries, do not. BC would collect $3,000, Alberta $1,250 and Ontario $3,250.
| If $25,000 of spending is fully taxed | British Columbia | Alberta | Ontario |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales tax paid | $3,000 | $1,250 | $3,250 |
| Income tax difference vs BC | baseline | -$241 | -$562 |
| Net difference vs BC | baseline | +$1,509 | -$812 |
On that assumption Alberta beats BC by $1,509 a year and Ontario falls $812 behind. Change the spending figure and the answer moves, so treat the table as a way to think about it. Rent, car insurance and housing costs, none of which are in these figures, usually outweigh all of this.
What does a real move look like month to month?
Take someone in Vancouver on $70,000 who is offered the same pay in Calgary. Income tax alone takes $20 a month off take-home. If $25,000 of the household’s yearly spending is fully taxed, sales tax falls by $146 a month, so the net result is about $126 a month better. A move to Toronto goes the other way: $47 a month less after income tax, and $21 more in sales tax, so about $68 a month worse off. Both are small next to a difference in rent, so compare the full offer, not the tax line alone.
Does the comparison change at other salaries?
Yes. BC’s lead over Alberta and Ontario grows with income, because both of the other provinces tax the middle brackets more heavily. The table compares take-home at four salaries, with the difference against BC.
| Salary | BC | Alberta | Alberta vs BC | Ontario | Ontario vs BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $40,574 | $40,541 | -$33 | $40,145 | -$429 |
| $70,000 | $54,348 | $54,107 | -$241 | $53,786 | -$562 |
| $90,000 | $68,193 | $67,509 | -$684 | $67,197 | -$996 |
| $110,000 | $82,325 | $81,409 | -$916 | $81,032 | -$1,293 |
Which province do you pay tax to if you move during the year?
You pay provincial tax to the province where you live on December 31, on the whole year’s income. Move from Vancouver to Calgary in June and the full 2026 provincial tax goes to Alberta, at Alberta rates (Canada Revenue Agency: your province or territory of residence).
What is the BC income tax rate at $70,000?
The average income tax rate on $70,000 in British Columbia is 15.1%, because federal tax of $7,278 and BC tax of $3,294 add up to $10,572. Net pay is $70,000 minus that, minus $3,957 of CPP and $1,123 of EI, which leaves $54,348.
The last dollar is taxed at 28.2%, higher than the average because of the brackets. BC charges 5.6% on the first $50,363 of taxable income and 7.7% from there to $100,728, and the federal rate rises as income grows. These are 2026 estimates for one worker with basic credits and no other income.
What could change these numbers?
An RRSP deposit of $5,000 saves $1,410 in BC, $1,525 in Alberta and $1,483 in Ontario, because the savings follow each next-dollar rate. A raise of $5,000 adds $3,362 in BC, $3,254 in Alberta and $3,140 in Ontario, where the health premium steps up as taxable income passes $72,000. Other income, a bonus, a spouse’s income or a different salary change the comparison, and so does anything the engine leaves out, such as employer benefits, commuting costs or a pension plan at work. The 2027 provincial brackets have not been published yet, so these results are for 2026 only. The $65,000 BC page and the $80,000 BC page show neighbouring pay levels, and the where are taxes lowest calculator, take-home pay by province and British Columbia tax page cover the rest.
Where does this information come from?
Provincial brackets and rates come from the Canada Revenue Agency’s 2026 tax rates page, sales tax rates from its GST/HST page and the Ontario Health Premium from Ontario.ca; take-home figures are estimates from this site’s 2026 payroll and income-tax engine. Checked in October 2026. This is an independent information site: we provide no services, we do not represent the CRA or any organization, and we do not guarantee that anything here is accurate or current. We accept no liability for decisions based on it. Check the official source before you rely on it. See the full disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
Do I keep more in BC or Alberta on $70,000?
BC, by $241 a year before sales tax. After sales tax on $25,000 of spending, Alberta comes out about $1,509 ahead, so the answer depends on how much of your spending is taxed.
How much is a $70,000 salary biweekly in BC?
About $2,090 every two weeks after tax, CPP and EI in 2026, or $4,529 a month. That is an estimate with basic credits only, and your pay stub will differ with benefits or extra deductions.
Which province do I pay tax to if I move in July?
The one you live in on December 31. The whole year's provincial income tax is calculated at that province's rates, so a July move to Alberta means Alberta rates for January to December.
Is the federal tax different in each province?
No. At $70,000 federal tax is $7,278 in BC, Alberta and Ontario alike. Only Quebec differs, because of its federal abatement. All of the gap between provinces is provincial tax.
All payroll and salary calculators
- How Canadian income tax works: brackets and credits
How federal and provincial Canadian income tax stack up, what marginal and average rates mean, and how credits and deductions change your bill
- British Columbia income tax and PST in 2026
How British Columbia income tax works in 2026: seven brackets starting at 5.6%, the tax reduction credit, the 7% PST and the BC calculators