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BC provincial tax starts at 5.6% on your first $50,363 of taxable income for 2026 and climbs to 20.5% above $265,545. That is on top of federal tax, and the province where you lived on 31 December decides which schedule applies to your whole year.
What are the BC tax brackets for 2026?
Seven brackets, each taxing only the slice of income inside it. The thresholds moved up 2.2% for 2026, which is the BC consumer price index change the province used. The BC government’s personal income tax rates page lists the same seven rates, and it adds that Budget 2026 paused bracket indexation for the 2027 to 2030 tax years.
| Taxable income | BC rate |
|---|---|
| Up to $50,363 | 5.60% |
| $50,363 to $100,728 | 7.70% |
| $100,728 to $115,648 | 10.50% |
| $115,648 to $140,430 | 12.29% |
| $140,430 to $190,405 | 14.70% |
| $190,405 to $265,545 | 16.80% |
| Over $265,545 | 20.50% |
Nobody pays 20.5% on their whole income. If you earn $70,000, only the part above $50,363 is taxed at 7.7%, and the rest sits at 5.6%, which is why moving into a higher bracket never lowers your take-home pay, whatever the office rumour says.
Here’s the slice-by-slice sum for Liam in Nanaimo, with $70,000 of taxable income. The first $50,363 at 5.6% is $2,820. The next $19,637 at 7.7% is $1,512. That’s $4,332 of BC tax before any credits, and the basic personal amount credit will shave a fair bit off it.
How much BC tax will I actually pay?
We ran three incomes through the engine behind our income tax calculator. These are taxable incomes, with only the basic personal amount claimed, so your own bill will drop once you add RRSP deductions or other credits.
| Taxable income | Federal | BC | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| $60,000 | $6,193 | $2,822 | $9,015 |
| $90,000 | $12,343 | $5,132 | $17,475 |
| $130,000 | $21,255 | $9,289 | $30,544 |
Look at the $60,000 row. The province takes about $2,800, less than half of what Ottawa does. Most people forget how much of the bill is federal.
What is my marginal rate in BC?
It’s the tax on your next dollar, federal and provincial together. On $60,000 and on $90,000 it works out to 28.2% (20.5% federal plus 7.7% BC). At $130,000 it jumps to about 38.3%, because you’ve crossed into the 26% federal bracket and the 12.29% BC one.
That number matters when you’re weighing a bonus or an RRSP deposit. A $1,000 deduction at $130,000 saves you roughly $383. At $60,000 it saves about $282. Try your own figure in the marginal tax rate calculator.
Does the BC tax reduction credit help?
It’s meant for lower incomes. The BC data we worked from puts the maximum at $690 for 2026, shrinking as net income passes about $25,570 and gone near $45,000. Treat those details as a rough guide and read the current BC page before you count on it. The federal side has its own credits, and the tax credits calculator covers those only.
Why doesn’t my paycheque match the tax bill?
Employers withhold from each cheque using CRA payroll tables, and those are estimates spread over the year. Your return works out the real figure once, in April. If you want a take-home number rather than a tax number, use the take-home pay calculator, which also takes off CPP and EI.
A refund isn’t a gift. It means too much came off during the year.
Owing a little isn’t a disaster either, but a big bill usually means a second job, or side earnings with nothing withheld at all.
What if you moved to or from BC during the year?
Your province of residence on December 31 sets the provincial schedule for the whole year, so a move on December 15 puts all twelve months under the new province’s rates. That works in your favour or against you depending on which way you moved. If you’re thinking about relocating near year end, run the numbers for both provinces first, since a few weeks on the calendar can change the entire year’s provincial tax.
Common mistakes with BC tax
Mixing up gross pay and taxable income is the big one. Brackets apply to taxable income, after deductions. Another is applying the top rate to everything, which overstates the bill by a lot.
People also confuse income tax with BC’s sales tax. They’re separate. Our GST and PST calculator taxes every item at 12% for BC, so it overstates the total on goods that carry no PST, such as restaurant meals. Check the receipt if it matters.
What this page is based on
The brackets and the 5.6% lowest rate come from the province of British Columbia’s 2026 personal tax rates page. The federal brackets and the rule that your residence on 31 December picks the province come from the Canada Revenue Agency‘s 2026 tax rates page. Dollar examples come from our own calculator engine and use those rates. This site has no link to either government.
Frequently asked questions
What is the lowest BC tax rate for 2026?
It's 5.6%, applied to taxable income up to $50,363. BC's own tax rates page shows it for the whole 2026 year.
Is BC tax added to federal tax?
Yes. You calculate federal tax first, then BC tax on the same taxable income, and pay both on one return.
Which province's rates apply if I moved during the year?
The CRA says your province of residence on 31 December decides it.
Does BC have a tax on the first dollars I earn?
The basic personal amount, $13,216 in the data we worked from, gives a credit that wipes out BC tax on the first part of your income. We couldn't confirm that figure on a page we read ourselves.
Why is BC tax lower than Alberta's at $90,000?
Our engine shows $5,132 for BC and $5,954 for Alberta at that income. Above $61,200 Alberta taxes each dollar at 10%, while BC charges 7.7% until $100,728. Alberta's basic personal amount is much bigger, though, so lower incomes come out differently.
- 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