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# What Does Catch-Up Bookkeeping Cost in Canada? The Five Things That Set the Price
- URL: https://learn.sansarsolutions.com/catch-up-bookkeeping-cost-canada/
- Published: 2026-10-15T02:13:10.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-15T02:41:30.000Z
- Description: What makes catch-up bookkeeping cost more or less in Canada: years behind, transaction volume, accounts, GST/HST and payroll. Plus how flat-rate quotes work.
- Author: Gurdeep Sangha
- Tags: Cost & What-If

**Catch-up bookkeeping in Canada is priced mainly on how many years are behind, how many transactions and accounts each year has, and whether GST/HST, payroll and tax returns have to be filed too.** A business doing $100k a year with one bank account costs far less to rebuild than a $3M business with five accounts, a payment processor and staff. The fairest way to price it is a fixed quote after someone has looked at your accounts.

At Sansar Solutions we don't publish a price list, because two businesses that are "two years behind" can be completely different jobs. What we do is quote **one all-inclusive flat rate** after a short call. That rate covers the bookkeeping, the overdue returns and dealing with the CRA.

## What actually drives the cost?

| Factor                    | Why it matters                                                                      |
| ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Years behind              | Each year needs its own reconciliation, year-end and return.                        |
| Monthly transaction count | 80 transactions a month and 1,500 a month are very different workloads.             |
| Number of accounts        | Every bank account, credit card, PayPal, Stripe or Shopify payout has to reconcile. |
| Sales tax                 | GST/HST (and BC PST) returns for every period have to tie to the books.             |
| Payroll                   | Missing T4s, remittances and ROEs add work and penalties.                           |
| Condition of records      | Missing statements and receipts take more time to recover.                          |

## Why growing businesses fall into the expensive bracket

The owners we usually hear from have grown from roughly $100k to a few million in revenue in a few years. Revenue went up, staff and contractors got added, a second payment processor came along, and the bookkeeping didn't keep up. Volume is the biggest cost driver, so the longer the books are left during a growth spurt, the bigger the rebuild. If that sounds familiar, our guide on growing fast and falling behind explains what to do first.

## How long does it take?

Once we have all the documents, we guarantee turnaround within **1 month**. Multi-year catch-up usually finishes in **1–2 months**. Delays on the client side, waiting for banks to send old statements, or CRA processing times can push that out. More on timelines in how long catch-up bookkeeping takes.

## Example (hypothetical): two "two years behind" businesses

- **Business A**: a sole-proprietor consultant at about $140k revenue, one bank account and one credit card, not registered for payroll. It needs two years of reconciliations, two T1/T2125 returns, and GST returns.
- **Business B**: an Ontario corporation that grew from $600k to $2.4M, with three bank accounts, Stripe, eight employees and HST filed quarterly. It needs two T2s, eight HST returns, a payroll reconciliation, T4s and shareholder-loan cleanup.

Both are "two years behind", but B is several times the work. A flat-rate quote reflects that before anyone starts.

## What hidden costs come from waiting?

Bookkeeping fees aren't the only cost. CRA late-filing penalties on a T2 with a balance owing start at 5% of the unpaid tax plus 1% per full month late, up to 12 months ([canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/corporations/corporation-payments/avoiding-penalties.html?ref=learn.sansarsolutions.com)), and interest compounds daily. See [CRA late filing penalties explained](https://learn.sansarsolutions.com/cra-late-filing-penalties-explained/).

## What's included in Sansar's flat rate?

Bookkeeping for every missing year, GST/HST/PST returns, T2 or T1 returns, CRA correspondence, and VDP or penalty-relief requests where they fit. No separate VDP fee. It's all backed by our **100% Happiness Guarantee**: if you're not happy, we keep working with you on the engagement until you're satisfied with the work. Read more on our [catch-up bookkeeping](https://learn.sansarsolutions.com/catch-up-bookkeeping/) page or the main-site [catch-up bookkeeping service](https://sansarsolutions.com/catch-up-bookkeeping/?ref=learn.sansarsolutions.com).

[**Book a call with a Sansar rep for a custom quote →**](https://sansarsolutions.com/contact/?ref=learn.sansarsolutions.com) · [How onboarding works and what documents we need →](https://learn.sansarsolutions.com/how-onboarding-works/)

## FAQ

**Is catch-up bookkeeping priced per month or per year?** It varies by firm. Sansar quotes one flat rate for the whole catch-up, covering every missing year and the related returns, so you know the total before work starts.

**Why won't you list a price online?** Transaction volume, accounts, payroll and sales tax vary hugely between businesses. A number published online would be wrong for most people. A short call gives you an accurate quote.

**Is it cheaper to do catch-up bookkeeping myself?** Sometimes it is, when you're one year behind with low volume. For multiple years with GST/HST and payroll, mistakes and penalties often cost more than the help. See DIY vs hiring help.

**Does the price include filing the tax returns?** At Sansar, yes. The flat rate includes the overdue T2 or T1 and GST/HST returns, plus CRA correspondence.

**Do I pay more if CRA penalties are involved?** No separate fee. Voluntary disclosure and penalty-relief requests are part of the flat rate when they apply.

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*Written by *Gurdeep Sangha*, founder of* [*Sansar Solutions*](https://sansarsolutions.com/about/?ref=learn.sansarsolutions.com)*, a Vancouver-based bookkeeping and tax firm serving small businesses across Canada (mainly Ontario, Alberta and BC). Sansar is not a CPA firm; Notice to Reader and review engagements go through partner CPAs. This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice for your situation. Last reviewed: October 2026.*