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Services
Get caught up
Catch-Up BookkeepingFrom $1,800Books & payroll
BookkeepingFrom $350/monthPayrollGet a quoteSR&ED ClaimsEnd-to-end SR&ED claims, quoted after consultationSR&ED for Software CompaniesQuoted after consultationSR&ED-Ready BookkeepingBooks + T2 for SR&ED claimsTax filing
Corporate Tax (T2)From $800 · nil T2 from $249GST/HST Filing$150 per returnPersonal Tax (T1)From $110 · students from $49Sole Proprietor Tax (T1 + T2125)From $300Start & grow
IncorporationFrom $499 + gov feesVirtual CFOFrom $2,500/monthAI Consulting & AutomationFor small businessesIndustries
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PricingService areasAll services →Accountant in Ottawa
CPA-Led, Flat-Rate Accounting and Tax for Ottawa Businesses
T-Ledgers is a CPA-led accounting firm serving Ottawa businesses, professionals, contractors, landlords and self-employed people, from the ByWard Market and Centretown to Kanata, Orléans, Barrhaven and Nepean. We do bookkeeping, catch-up work, corporate (T2) and personal (T1) tax, HST, payroll and Ontario incorporation on flat fees quoted before we start. We work with Ottawa clients remotely by phone, video and email.
- CPA, FCCA · CPA Ontario #77000292
- Flat fees, no surprise bills
- Ottawa clients served remotely
Wajahat Ajmal, CPA, FCCA | CPA Ontario member #77000292 (verify my licence) | Flat fees, no surprise bills | Reply within one business day | QuickBooks Online, Xero and Dext | Read our Google reviews
Ottawa runs on more than government. Kanata North is one of Canada’s biggest technology parks, and around it sit software and telecom companies, federal government contractors and consultants, clinics and professional corporations, and the restaurants and shops of the ByWard Market, Westboro and the Glebe. Many owners here are incorporated consultants billing federal departments, or tech founders who need SR&ED-ready books. Others are a year or two behind and want it fixed. T-Ledgers does both, on flat fees.
I’m Wajahat Ajmal, CPA, FCCA. We work with Ottawa clients by phone, video and email, with documents shared through a secure portal, so you never need to drive anywhere. Our office is in Mississauga if you are ever in the GTA, and meetings there are by appointment only.
On this page: Services and prices · Ottawa rules · Ontario tax · Voluntary disclosure · Why T-Ledgers · FAQ
Accounting services and prices for Ottawa businesses
Every service is quoted at a flat rate before we start. These are starting prices, + HST/GST. You get the exact figure in writing after a free call.
← Swipe to compare →
| Service | Starting price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Catch-up bookkeeping and back taxes | From $1,800 + HST/GST per year | Priced per year: missing years rebuilt from bank and card statements, with the overdue HST returns and the T2 for each year filed in the right order. Personal T1 returns are quoted separately. Final flat price confirmed after we see what is missing. |
| Bookkeeping | From $350/month (quarterly); monthly bookkeeping from $500/month + HST/GST | Reconciliations, HST returns and year-end-ready books in QuickBooks Online or Xero, reviewed by a CPA. |
| Corporate tax (T2) | From $800 + HST/GST | Year-end financial statements and your T2, including the Ontario schedules. Nil returns for inactive corporations from $249. |
| Personal tax (T1) | Student $49; regular from $110 + HST/GST | Employees, students, landlords and owner-managers, with Ontario credits included. |
| Sole proprietor tax (T1 + T2125) | From $300 + HST/GST | Your personal return plus the T2125 business statement, with HST and instalments checked. |
| Payroll | Quoted after consultation | Pay runs, CRA source deductions, WSIB reporting, EHT tracking, T4s and ROEs. |
| GST/HST returns | $150 per return + HST/GST | Quarterly or annual GST/HST returns prepared from your books, with input tax credits checked before filing. |
| Virtual CFO | From $2,500/month + HST/GST | Cash flow forecasts, budgets, KPI reporting and monthly CFO meetings for growing companies. |
| SR&ED claims | Quoted after consultation | End-to-end SR&ED claims: eligibility review, project write-ups, the T661 claim form and the T2 filing, plus CRA review support. See SR&ED for software companies. |
| Incorporation | From $499 + government fees + HST/GST | Federal or Ontario incorporation, plus your CRA business number, HST and payroll accounts. Full legal documents option $999. |
| Minute book maintenance | $500/year + HST/GST | Annual resolutions, dividends and director or shareholder changes, plus filing your Ontario annual return. |
Ottawa service pages: bookkeeping · personal tax
Most incorporated Ottawa clients take monthly bookkeeping plus a T2, with the owner’s T1 alongside. GST/HST returns on their own are $150 per return. See all packages and pricing.
Ottawa rules that show up in your books
Ottawa is a single-tier city, so you deal with the City of Ottawa, Ottawa Public Health, Ontario and the CRA. Here is what comes up most. (Official sources checked October 2026.)
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| Rule | Who it affects | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| City of Ottawa business licences | Ottawa's Licensing By-law 2002-189 covers specific categories, including food premises, public garages (auto repair, car dealers and car washes), pet shops, second-hand goods shops, snow plow and hardscaping contractors, and tobacco and vapour retailers. Most offices and consultancies are not on the list. Licence fees are a deductible business cost. | Ottawa businesses that need a licence |
| Ottawa Public Health | A new food business must give Ottawa Public Health notice before it opens, with plans and a sample menu, and needs approval before opening. | Ottawa Public Health: starting a food premises |
| Vacant Unit Tax declaration | Every Ottawa residential property owner declares the occupancy status of each property every year. A rental or second property left empty for more than 184 days can be taxed, and a missed declaration can lead to the property being deemed vacant. | City of Ottawa Vacant Unit Tax |
| Short-term rental host permit | Anyone renting out their principal residence for less than 30 nights needs a City host permit first. The rental income still goes on your tax return. | Ottawa short-term rental permits |
Law: Municipal Act, 2001 s.151(1) (business licensing); Municipal Act, 2001 s.338.2(1) (vacant unit tax); Health Protection and Promotion Act s.16(1) (food premises); Land Transfer Tax Act s.2(1) (Ontario land transfer tax).
Ontario tax rules every Ottawa business deals with
← Swipe to compare →
| Rule | What it means | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| HST is 13% in Ontario | Businesses registered for GST/HST. Registration is required once taxable revenue passes $30,000 in a single calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters. | CRA GST/HST rates page |
| Ontario small business rate: 2.2% from July 1, 2026 | Canadian-controlled private corporations, on the first $500,000 of active business income. With the federal 9%, that is 11.2% combined, prorated for tax years that straddle July 1. | Ontario's corporate income tax page |
| Employer Health Tax (EHT) | Employers with Ontario payroll above the $1 million exemption (shared by associated employers; no exemption once group payroll passes $5 million). Rates 0.98% to 1.95%; annual return due March 15. | Ontario's EHT guide |
| WSIB coverage | Most Ontario businesses that hire workers must register with WSIB within 10 days of hiring their first worker. Some industries are exempt. | WSIB registration |
| Ontario annual return | Every Ontario corporation files an annual return with the Ontario Business Registry. It is separate from the T2. | Ontario Business Registry |
Income above the $500,000 small business limit is taxed at 26.5% combined (15% federal plus 11.5% Ontario). Some older tables online, including the CRA’s, may still show Ontario’s previous 3.2% small business rate; Ontario’s corporate income tax page has the current figure. More in our guides to corporate tax rates in Canada, the Ontario HST rate and GST/HST filing deadlines. If a government page and this summary ever disagree, the government page wins.
Law: Excise Tax Act s.165(2) (HST in participating provinces); Excise Tax Act s.240(1) (registration required); Excise Tax Act s.148(1) (small suppliers); Income Tax Act s.125(1) (small business deduction); Taxation Act, 2007 (Ontario corporate income tax); Employer Health Tax Act s.2(1); Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 s.75(1) (WSIB registration within 10 days); Corporations Information Act s.3.1 (annual return).
Behind on your books? Catch-up is our speciality
If you are a few years behind, you are not unusual, and it is fixable. We start with your bank and credit card statements, rebuild the oldest year first, then file what is outstanding in the right order: HST returns, T2s and personal returns. If the CRA has sent letters or estimated assessments, we deal with them as part of the job. Penalties and interest keep growing until you file, so waiting rarely helps.
Catch-up work starts from $1,800 per year + HST/GST. See catch-up bookkeeping, back tax filing and a real file in our catch-up case study.
Behind with the CRA? Voluntary disclosure
If you have unfiled returns or income you never reported, the CRA’s Voluntary Disclosures Program (VDP) lets you correct it before the CRA contacts you, with relief on penalties and part of the interest. Many Ottawa owners come to us only after a CRA letter arrives; coming forward first usually gets a better result.
- The law behind it: the CRA can waive or cancel penalties and interest for up to 10 calendar years back under Income Tax Act s.220(3.1) (income tax) and Excise Tax Act s.281.1 (GST/HST). The VDP is how the CRA applies that power to people who come forward.
- Unprompted applications (no CRA contact about the issue yet) normally get 100% penalty relief and 75% interest relief. Prompted applications (after a CRA letter that names a specific error or sets a deadline) normally get up to 100% penalty relief and 25% interest relief. These rules apply to applications received on or after October 1, 2025 (CRA Information Circular IC00-1R7).
- Who qualifies: you must apply before an audit or investigation starts, include all the corrected returns and documents, be at least one year or one reporting period past the due date, and pay the estimated tax or ask for a payment arrangement (CRA’s VDP eligibility page).
We rebuild the missing years, prepare the corrected T1, T2 and GST/HST returns, and file them with Form RC199 so the CRA reviews everything together. Pricing depends on how many years are involved and is part of our catch-up bookkeeping quote, which starts from $1,800 per year + HST/GST. The CRA decides each application case by case, so relief is never guaranteed.
Law: Income Tax Act s.150(1) (filing deadlines); Income Tax Act s.162(1) (late-filing penalty); Income Tax Act s.161(1) (interest on unpaid tax); Income Tax Act s.152(7) (assessment not dependent on return); Excise Tax Act s.238(1) (GST/HST returns).
Why Ottawa owners work with T-Ledgers
A CPA on every file
I review the work before anything goes to the CRA. Nothing is filed without my sign-off.
Flat fees in writing
You get the price before we start. If the scope changes, we agree the new price with you first.
Replies within one business day
Tell us if a CRA deadline is close and we will put it first.
Cloud tools
QuickBooks Online or Xero for the books and Dext for receipts. We take over your file or set one up.
Remote across Ottawa
Phone, video and a secure document portal. Most Ottawa clients never need to visit; our office is in Mississauga by appointment.
Hours that fit
Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.
T-Ledgers vs a traditional Ottawa firm vs DIY
← Swipe to compare →
| T-Ledgers | Traditional local firm | DIY with software | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Flat fee quoted in writing before we start, + HST/GST. No surprise bills. | Often hourly, or a quote that grows with "extra" work | Software subscription, plus your evenings |
| Who does the work | Led and reviewed by a CPA, FCCA | Varies: partner, staff accountant or bookkeeper | You |
| Behind on filings | Catch-up is our speciality; we file in the right order | Some firms decline messy or multi-year files | Hard to know where to start |
| Reply time | Within one business day | Varies | Not applicable |
| Meetings | Phone, video and secure portal; Mississauga office by appointment | In person, usually office hours | None |
Who we work with in Ottawa
- Federal government contractors and consultants: incorporated consultants, PSB risk, salary versus dividends and HST on federal contracts. See personal services business rules.
- Technology companies in Kanata: software, telecom and hardware firms, with SR&ED claims prepared end to end. See SR&ED for software companies.
- Professional corporations and clinics: physicians, dentists, physiotherapists, lawyers and other professionals.
- Trades and home services: renovators, snow plow and landscaping contractors, with T5018 slips and seasonal cash flow.
- Restaurants and retail: ByWard Market, Westboro and Glebe shops and restaurants: point-of-sale reconciliations, payroll and HST.
- Landlords and self-employed people: T2125 income, rental schedules, the Vacant Unit Tax declaration, HST registration and instalments.
Live in Gatineau and work in Ottawa? We prepare Ontario and federal returns only, so we cannot file your Quebec return. For Ottawa employers with Quebec-resident staff, payroll deductions follow the province of the establishment the employee reports to. Thinking about a holding company? Read our guide to holding company benefits.
How it works
- Free 30-minute call. What is filed, what is not, and what you need. Straight answers even if you do not hire us.
- Fixed quote in writing. If the scope changes later, we agree the new price with you before doing the extra work.
- Secure onboarding. We connect your bank feeds, set up or take over QuickBooks Online or Xero, and get you on Dext so receipts go in with a photo.
- Monthly and year-end delivery. Books kept current, HST filed on time, and your T2 and T1 prepared at year-end.
Meet your CPA
Wajahat Ajmal, CPA, FCCA, Founder
I started my career in audit at KPMG, which taught me to go back to the source and reconcile everything before anything gets filed. I later worked as an independent contractor for a tax filing company. I’ve practised in Canada since 2020 and founded T-Ledgers in 2023.
I’m a CPA Ontario member (#77000292), also registered with CPA BC (#C77000292), and a Fellow of ACCA. You can verify my CPA Ontario membership in the public directory, or read more on our About page.
Client results
“I was behind a few years on filing and my situation was a little complicated but he handled everything great and did all the communicating with the CRA so that I didnt have to.”
Google review, catch-up filing client
Read all our Google reviews or see our case studies.
Frequently asked questions
No. We serve Ottawa clients remotely by phone, video and email, with documents shared through a secure portal. Our office is in Mississauga at 100 Matheson Blvd E, Suite 204, by appointment.
Our flat fees are the same across Ontario: catch-up bookkeeping from $1,800 per year, bookkeeping from $350 a month (quarterly; monthly from $500), a student T1 for $49, a regular T1 from $110, a sole proprietor T1 with T2125 from $300, a T2 from $800 and incorporation from $499 plus government fees. Payroll is quoted after consultation. All prices are + HST/GST, and you get the exact figure in writing before we start.
Yes. Ontario or federal incorporation starts from $499 plus government fees and HST. Minute book maintenance is $500 a year plus HST/GST.
Yes. We prepare SR&ED claims end to end: the eligibility review, project write-ups, the T661 claim form and the T2 filing, plus support if the CRA reviews the claim. Pricing depends on the claim and is quoted after a free consultation.
Only for the categories in Licensing By-law 2002-189, such as food premises, public garages, pet shops, second-hand goods shops, snow plow contractors and tobacco or vapour retailers. Most offices and consultancies are not on the list. Check the City’s list for your category.
Yes. Every residential property owner in Ottawa declares occupancy status each year, even for a home you live in. A unit left empty for more than 184 days in the year can be taxed, and the City can deem a property vacant if no declaration is made.
We can help with your Ottawa business and federal filings, but we do not prepare Quebec provincial returns. Ottawa employers with staff living in Quebec deduct payroll based on the province of the establishment the employee reports to.
Yes, it is our speciality. We rebuild the books from bank statements, file the overdue HST returns and T2s in the right order (personal T1 returns are quoted separately), and deal with any CRA letters. Catch-up work starts from $1,800 per year + HST/GST.
From July 1, 2026, a Canadian-controlled private corporation pays 11.2% combined (9% federal plus 2.2% Ontario) on the first $500,000 of active business income, prorated for tax years that straddle July 1.
Once your taxable revenue passes $30,000 in a single calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters. You can register voluntarily before that, which lets you claim input tax credits on your costs.
Most Ontario businesses that hire workers must register with WSIB within 10 days of hiring their first worker, though some industries are exempt. Our payroll service includes WSIB reporting.
Yes. Ontario clients pay 13% HST on top of our fees. If your business is HST-registered, you can usually claim it back as an input tax credit.
Yes. We rebuild the missing years, prepare the corrected returns and file them with Form RC199. If no one at the CRA has contacted you about the issue, an application received on or after October 1, 2025 normally gets 100% penalty relief and 75% interest relief. The VDP application is quoted separately after a free review. Any catch-up bookkeeping starts from $1,800 per year + HST/GST.
Not always. If the letter names a specific error or sets a deadline, your application is treated as prompted and normally gets up to 100% penalty relief and 25% interest relief. Once an audit or investigation has started on that issue, the VDP is closed to you, so it is worth acting quickly.
Nearby areas we serve
We also work remotely with clients everywhere in Canada except Quebec.
Ready to talk to a CPA about your Ottawa business?
Current or years behind, the next step is the same: a free 30-minute call, and a fixed price in writing before any work starts. Book online, call (866) 254-5368 or email info@tledgers.ca.
Reviewed by Wajahat Ajmal, CPA, FCCA. Last updated: October 16, 2026. Official sources checked October 2026.