The questions we hear most often.

Frequently asked questions

What does Coal Harbour Bookkeeping do, and what stays with a CPA?

Coal Harbour Bookkeeping handles monthly bookkeeping, payroll, GST and BC PST filing, year-end preparation, catch-up and clean-up, and fractional controller engagements. Corporate tax filing (T2), personal tax (T1), audit and assurance engagements, and tax-planning advisory stay with your CPA. We coordinate directly with your accountant at year-end so the handover is one clean package.

What is bookkeeping, and how is it different from accounting?

Bookkeeping is the monthly work of recording and reconciling transactions, producing financial statements, and filing indirect taxes like GST and PST. Accounting is the review, analysis, and year-end tax work built on top of that ledger. In Canada, most small businesses need both — bookkeepers for the monthly rhythm, a CPA for year-end tax filing and structural advice. The two roles are complementary, not interchangeable.Full reference: the Canadian small-business bookkeeping guide

Do I need a bookkeeper if I already have a CPA?

Usually yes. CPAs are expensive and scarce; using them for day-to-day bookkeeping is like using a surgeon for a check-up. A bookkeeper handles the monthly work — reconciliations, GST filings, payroll — and hands the books to the CPA at year-end for tax filing and advisory. Most owners we speak to cut their CPA bill materially the first year we take over the books, because the CPA no longer spends billable hours sorting ledger problems.

How much does bookkeeping cost in Vancouver?

Monthly bookkeeping in Metro Vancouver typically runs $400 to $2,000 per month CAD for owner-operators, depending on transaction volume, number of accounts, payroll, and GST or PST complexity. Coal Harbour runs $500 to $750 per month for the Steady tier, $800 to $1,200 per month for the Considered tier, and $1,250 to $2,000 per month for Bespoke multi-entity engagements. Final pricing is set after a 20-minute discovery call.

What accounting software do you use?

QuickBooks Online and Xero are our primary general ledgers. We layer Dext for receipt capture, Plooto for supplier payments, Rotessa for customer collections, and Wagepoint or Payworks for Canadian payroll. Every subscription is in your name; if we ever part ways, you keep every tool and every data source.

Do you work with businesses outside Vancouver?

Yes. Most clients sit across Metro Vancouver — downtown, the North Shore, Burnaby, Richmond — but we also serve businesses elsewhere in British Columbia. The work is cloud-native. We handle the relationship by video, email, and the occasional in-person meeting when it genuinely helps.

What is GST and PST filing?

GST (Goods and Services Tax) is a 5% federal sales tax administered by the CRA. Canadian businesses must register once revenue exceeds $30,000 in four consecutive quarters, and file quarterly or annual returns. BC PST (Provincial Sales Tax) is a 7% provincial tax administered separately by the BC Ministry of Finance on taxable goods and some services sold into BC. Coal Harbour prepares and files both through CRA My Business Account and eTaxBC.Full reference: the GST and PST filing guide for BC businesses

What is year-end preparation?

Year-end preparation is the closing work a bookkeeper does after the fiscal year ends, before the CPA files the T2 corporate tax return. It includes reconciling every balance sheet account, posting adjusting entries for accruals and depreciation, reconciling intercompany balances, and assembling a working paper package. Canadian T2 returns are due six months after fiscal year-end; a clean year-end package is what makes that deadline calm rather than frantic.Full reference: the year-end bookkeeping checklist for Canada

How long does it take to catch up on months of missed bookkeeping?

Most catch-up engagements run four to twelve weeks, depending on how far behind the books are and the state of the records. A typical twelve-month catch-up for a single-entity business runs six to eight weeks from kickoff. We scope the project fixed-fee after a diagnostic, give you a week-by-week plan, and move you straight into monthly bookkeeping once the catch-up is complete.

What is a fractional controller?

A fractional controller is a senior finance professional who provides monthly oversight, management reporting, and financial judgement on a retainer, without being a full-time hire. The role sits above the bookkeeper and beside the CEO. For a Canadian business between $1M and $10M in revenue, a fractional controller typically replaces an employee that would otherwise cost $120,000 to $180,000 per year fully loaded.

How often will I hear from my bookkeeper?

Once a month at minimum, on close, with a short written summary of what happened and what needs your attention. Beyond that, we reply within one business day on everything, and most questions are answered the same day. Quarterly, we schedule a thirty-minute review call. We do not flood your inbox.

Do you work with restaurants, law firms, real estate investors, and other specific industries?

Yes. Our main industry concentrations are professional services (law firms, design studios, consultancies), real estate (investors and operators with multi-property portfolios), hospitality (restaurants, cafes, boutique operators), incorporated medical professionals, construction and real estate operators (general contractors, developers, brokerages), mortgage brokers, e-commerce brands, and owner-operator holding companies. Each industry has its own rhythms — we built the practice around them.

What is your onboarding process?

Onboarding runs four weeks. Week one is the kickoff and access setup. Week two configures the tools and migrates data where needed. Weeks three and four bring the books current and establish the monthly workflow. By month four, most clients are fully in the steady rhythm and we are closing their books by the tenth of each month.

Who owns the data in my accounting software?

You do. Your QuickBooks Online or Xero subscription is in your name, the bank feeds are connected to your accounts, and the ledger is yours. If our engagement ever ends, you keep everything — we hand over a clean close as our last act.

Is my data secure?

Yes. Every tool we use stores data in encrypted cloud infrastructure. Two-factor authentication is required on every account that holds your data, without exception. Access is limited to the bookkeeper assigned to your engagement. We operate on a least-privilege model, and we document our retention and handling policies.

What is PIPEDA, and how do you comply with it?

PIPEDA is the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, the Canadian federal privacy law that governs how businesses collect, use, and disclose personal information in the course of commercial activity. Coal Harbour handles client and employee personal data under documented PIPEDA-compliant policies: limited collection, purpose-specified use, encrypted storage, two-factor authentication, and a written retention schedule. Full detail is on our privacy page.

Can you work with my existing CPA?

Yes, gladly. We coordinate directly with your CPA on year-end adjusting entries, the T2 package, and any questions they raise through the year. Many CPAs we have worked with tell us that a clean bookkeeping file is the single biggest factor in how much they can reduce their engagement fees.

What happens if I am behind on my GST filings?

We catch them up. Most late GST files can be brought current through CRA My Business Account without a formal Voluntary Disclosure, provided the CRA has not already contacted you about the missed periods. If back-filings stretch beyond two fiscal years, or if you have received CRA correspondence, we coordinate with a tax CPA on a Voluntary Disclosures Program submission before we file. Either way, catch-up is the first piece, monthly rhythm is the second.