Bookkeeping Services in Burnaby
MaxPro Financials provides monthly bookkeeping for Burnaby businesses — transaction entry, bank and credit card reconciliation, GST/HST tracking, payroll-ready reporting and year-end files your accountant can work from without cleanup. Every engagement starts with a free consultation and a fixed monthly fee, so bookkeeping never arrives as a surprise invoice.
Bookkeeping is the part of your finances that decides how much everything else costs. When the books are current and reconciled, your year-end is fast and cheap, your GST/HST filings are defensible, and you can actually see your cash position mid-month. When they are not, you pay accountant rates for work a bookkeeper should have done.
- Monthly bookkeeping — income, expenses and every transaction categorised on a set schedule
- Bank reconciliation — every account and credit card matched to source records each month
- GST/HST and PST — tracked through the year and filed on time, with input tax credits captured
- Financial reporting — profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow you receive rather than request
- Catch-up and cleanup — behind by months or years? We bring the file current before we start monthly work
Bookkeeping Services in Burnaby for Small and Growing Businesses
We keep the books for incorporated small businesses and sole proprietors across Burnaby, from Metrotown and Brentwood retailers to trades contractors, restaurants, consultants and professional practices. Most clients come to us for one of three reasons:
- The owner is doing the books at night and wants that time back.
- The file is behind and year-end or a GST return is coming due.
- The business has outgrown a spreadsheet and needs proper reports to borrow, hire or plan.
Whichever applies, we start by bringing your records current, then keep them that way every month.
Why Burnaby Businesses Choose Our Bookkeeping Service
- A fixed monthly fee. You know the cost before we start, and it only changes if your volume does.
- Bookkeeping and tax under one roof. Our accountants prepare your year-end and tax returns from the same file, so nothing is re-explained or redone.
- Experience at scale. We look after more than 800 business clients across Canada, with our BC office in nearby Port Moody.
- Work in the software you already use. QuickBooks Online, Xero and other cloud platforms, with read-only bank feeds.
What Our Burnaby Bookkeeping Service Includes
Timely entry of income, expenses, and financial transactions
Monthly bank and credit card reconciliations for accuracy
Organized financial statements ready for tax season or audits
Customized reporting to help you understand your cash flow
Seamless integration with your payroll or accounting systems
How Our Burnaby Bookkeeping Process Works
Bookkeeping only works when it happens on a schedule. Ours runs on a fixed monthly cycle, so your records are never more than a few weeks behind reality — which is the difference between books that inform decisions and books that only satisfy the CRA.
| Frequency | What we do | What you receive |
|---|---|---|
| Every month | Categorise transactions, reconcile bank and credit card accounts, record payroll journal entries, review accounts receivable and payable | Profit and loss, balance sheet and a short note on anything unusual |
| Every quarter | Prepare and file GST/HST or PST returns, review input tax credits, check instalment requirements | Filed return plus a summary of what was remitted and why |
| At year end | Close the books, reconcile shareholder and loan accounts, prepare the working file for your accountant | A clean year-end file ready for financial statements and the T2 |
| As needed | Catch-up bookkeeping, CRA review support, historical cleanup and account restructuring | A corrected file and a written summary of what changed |
Getting started takes three steps
- Free consultation. We look at your current setup, transaction volume and how far behind the file is, then quote a fixed monthly fee.
- Setup and catch-up. We connect secure read-only bank feeds, agree a chart of accounts that matches how you actually run the business, and bring any backlog current.
- Monthly cycle. Your books are reconciled and your reports are delivered on the same schedule each month, with sales tax and year-end handled as they come due.
How Much Does Bookkeeping Cost in Burnaby?
Bookkeeping is priced on transaction volume and complexity, not on how long the work takes. Most Burnaby small businesses fall in the $450 to $800 a month range for ongoing bookkeeping; add payroll, multiple entities or high transaction counts and it moves up from there.
| Service level | Typical 2026 cost (CAD) | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Basic monthly bookkeeping | $200 – $800+ / month | Low transaction volume, one or two bank accounts |
| Common small business range | $450 – $800 / month | Most incorporated Burnaby small businesses |
| Mid-level accounting package | $900 – $2,000 / month | Higher volume, payroll, multiple entities |
| Full-service monthly package | $1,200 – $1,500 / month | Bookkeeping, sales tax, payroll, year-end and tax planning |
| Bookkeeper hourly rate | $30 – $90 / hour | Cleanup projects and one-off work |
| Accountant / CPA hourly rate | $150 – $400+ / hour | Year-end, tax filing and advisory |
The number that matters most is the gap between the two hourly rates at the bottom of that table. Work that a bookkeeper does at $30 to $90 an hour costs $150 to $400+ an hour once it lands on an accountant’s desk at year-end. Businesses that skip monthly bookkeeping to save money almost always pay the difference back at year-end, with interest. Our full guide to accounting costs in Canada breaks this down by business type and province.
Bookkeeping vs Accounting: What Is the Difference?
People often shop for an accountant when what they need first is a bookkeeper — and the two are priced very differently. A bookkeeper handles the day-to-day: recording transactions, reconciling bank and credit-card accounts, issuing invoices and keeping the file tidy. An accountant works at a higher level, interpreting those records for tax planning, preparing year-end statements and filing returns.
| Bookkeeper | Accountant / CPA | |
|---|---|---|
| Core job | Records what happened | Interprets what it means |
| Typical work | Transaction entry, reconciliations, invoicing, sales tax | Financial statements, tax returns, planning, compliance |
| Frequency | Weekly or monthly, all year | Quarterly and at year-end |
| Typical rate | $30 – $90 / hour | $150 – $400+ / hour |
| You need one when | You have transactions to record — from day one | You have a year-end, a tax return or a decision to make |
For most small businesses the cost-effective approach is a bookkeeper throughout the year and an accountant at year-end — you only pay the higher rate for work that genuinely needs it. Because MaxPro handles both in-house, nothing has to be re-explained in February and there is no gap between the two roles. Read our fuller comparison of what accounting costs in Canada.
GST/HST and PST Filing for Burnaby Small Businesses
Sales tax is where Burnaby businesses most often get into trouble, because British Columbia charges two separate taxes: 5% federal GST, filed with the CRA, and 7% provincial PST, filed with the BC Ministry of Finance. BC does not use HST, so each tax has its own registration, return and deadline. We track both as part of your monthly bookkeeping, so filing is a review rather than a scramble.
When you must register
You must register for GST once your worldwide taxable sales pass $30,000 in any four consecutive calendar quarters. PST registration depends on what you sell rather than on a revenue threshold: most businesses that sell taxable goods or software, or certain services, in BC must register before they start. See our guide on how to register for BC PST.
How often you file GST
| Annual taxable sales | Filing frequency | Return due |
|---|---|---|
| $1.5 million or less | Annual (quarterly or monthly by election) | 3 months after year end; June 15 for most sole proprietors |
| $1.5 million to $6 million | Quarterly | 1 month after each quarter |
| More than $6 million | Monthly | 1 month after each month |
PST returns follow a schedule the Ministry of Finance assigns, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual, and are due by the last day of the month after each period.
What late filing costs
A late GST return with a balance owing is charged 1% of the amount owed, plus 0.25% for each full month it is late, up to 12 months, with daily interest on top. Repeat late filers can face a higher penalty. If you are already behind, we file the missing periods, recover any input tax credits you are owed and, where it applies, request penalty relief from the CRA.
Serving Burnaby, Vancouver, Coquitlam and the Lower Mainland
While our head office is located in Port Moody, our expert bookkeeping services are trusted by clients across the Lower Mainland, including:
- Burnaby
- Coquitlam
- Port Coquitlam
- Vancouver
- North Vancouver
- West Vancouver
- Richmond
- Delta
- Chilliwack
Wherever you operate in BC, Maxpro is here to help streamline your bookkeeping process with professionalism and precision.
Related Accounting Services
- Tax accountant in Burnaby — personal and corporate tax filing
- Payroll services in Burnaby
- Financial services in Burnaby
- Business incorporation in Burnaby
- Business valuation in Burnaby
- Accounting and bookkeeping in Vancouver
- T2 corporate tax returns
- GST / HST / PST guide
We also work with specific sectors — see accounting for daycares, accounting for consultants, tax accounting for construction and tax services for dentists.
Let Us Organize Your Books
Tired of tracking receipts and guessing your cash flow? Reach out to Maxpro today. We’ll help you bring order to your books and peace of mind to your finances. Located in Port Moody, we proudly support bookkeeping clients in Burnaby and across the Lower Mainland.
Bookkeeping in Burnaby: Frequently Asked Questions
Our bookkeeping includes recording income and expenses, reconciling bank accounts, and preparing financial reports.
Accurate records help you manage cash flow, reduce tax liabilities, and make confident business decisions.
Yes, our bookkeeping supports your accountant by keeping everything organized and up to date.
Absolutely. We offer secure digital tools that let you access your records from anywhere.
Most Burnaby small businesses pay between $450 and $800 a month for ongoing bookkeeping, with basic low-volume files starting around $200 and full-service packages that bundle payroll, sales tax and year-end running $1,200 to $1,500 a month. Cleanup and catch-up work is usually quoted separately at an hourly rate. We give you a fixed monthly figure after a free consultation.
A bookkeeper records what happened — transactions, reconciliations, invoicing and sales tax, usually monthly. An accountant interprets those records for year-end statements, tax returns and planning. Bookkeepers typically charge $30 to $90 an hour and accountants $150 to $400+, which is why doing bookkeeping properly through the year lowers your total cost rather than adding to it.
Yes — catch-up work is a large part of what we do. We rebuild the file from bank statements and source records, reconcile each period, correct any sales tax that was filed on incomplete numbers, and then hand you a current set of books. Once the backlog is cleared we move you onto a normal monthly cycle so it does not happen again.
Yes. Sales tax is tracked as part of the monthly bookkeeping cycle rather than reconstructed at filing time, so input tax credits are captured as they occur. We prepare and file your returns on your reporting schedule and tell you what is owed in advance of the deadline. See our GST/HST/PST guide for how the rules apply in British Columbia.
In most cases yes — we work in whichever cloud accounting platform you already use, with secure read-only bank feeds so nothing needs to be re-keyed. If your current setup is causing problems, we will say so and explain what we would change, but we will not force a migration you do not need.
Usually within a week of the free consultation. Setup takes a few days — connecting bank feeds, agreeing the chart of accounts and reviewing your last filed year — and monthly processing begins from the next full period. Catch-up work runs in parallel so you are not waiting on the backlog to get current reporting.
Yes, all our processes align with CRA standards to help you stay audit-ready.
We work with a wide range of industries, from retail to tech and professional services.
Typically, we provide monthly financial reports, but custom schedules are available upon request.
Just contact us to book a free consultation and we’ll tailor a plan to your needs.
It depends on your annual taxable sales. At $1.5 million or less you file annually by default, and you can choose to file quarterly or monthly instead. Between $1.5 million and $6 million you file quarterly, and above $6 million you file monthly. PST has a separate schedule set by the BC Ministry of Finance.