What Does Catch-Up Bookkeeping Cost in Canada? The Five Things That Set the Price
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.
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), and interest compounds daily. See 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 page or the main-site catch-up bookkeeping service.
Book a call with a Sansar rep for a custom quote → · How onboarding works and what documents we need →
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.
Written by Gurdeep Sangha, founder of Sansar Solutions, 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.