6 worked Airdrie case studies — the position a client typically comes to us with, what we do, and what it is worth. Each is an illustrative example built on the rules that apply to Airdrie and its provincial tax regime, not a specific client's file.
Case Study 1 · Planning that cut the bill
$35,500 Saved By Correcting What Prior Filings Had Missed — Residential Framing Contractor, Airdrie
Client: A residential framing contractor · Where: Airdrie, Alberta · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Saving identified$35,500
RecurringYes
Positions documentedAll
The situation — A residential framing contractor, Airdrie, Alberta
A residential framing contractor in Airdrie, Alberta asked for a second opinion on its AB tax and accounting file. That followed three years of rising tax. The review found a registration threshold crossed on out-of-province sales that nobody was tracking.
What we did for A residential framing contractor, Airdrie, Alberta
We built the comparison first: current structure against two alternatives. Then we assessed and claimed Alberta Innovation Employment Grant alongside the federal return.
The result — A residential framing contractor, Airdrie, Alberta
First-year saving of $35,500, with the same benefit recurring. Every position taken is documented and supported in the file.
Case Study 2 · Deadline rescue
Filed On Time From A Standing Start, $17,000 Penalty Avoided — Mining Services Supplier, Airdrie
Client: A mining services supplier · Where: Airdrie, Alberta · Engagement: 5 weeks, fixed fee
Penalty avoided$17,000
Turnaround5 weeks
FiledOn time
The situation — A mining services supplier, Airdrie, Alberta
A mining services supplier in Airdrie, Alberta came to us 5 weeks before its filing deadline. The file came with instalments still calculated on a year the business had long outgrown. A late filing would have triggered a penalty of roughly $17,000 before interest.
What we did for A mining services supplier, Airdrie, Alberta
We worked backwards from the deadline. We assessed and claimed Alberta Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit alongside the federal return. We prioritised the items that actually gated the filing and deferred everything that did not.
The result — A mining services supplier, Airdrie, Alberta
The return was filed on time and complete. The $17,000 penalty never arose, and the compliance calendar we set means the next deadline is scheduled rather than discovered.
Case Study 3 · Backlog brought current
$80,000 Of Arbitrary Assessments Vacated After 7 Years — B2B SaaS Company, Airdrie
Client: A B2B SaaS company · Where: Airdrie, Alberta · Engagement: 6 weeks, fixed fee
Arbitrary tax vacated$80,000
Years brought current7
Account statusCurrent
The situation — A B2B SaaS company, Airdrie, Alberta
7 years of unfiled returns had turned into notional assessments at a B2B SaaS company in Airdrie, Alberta. Underneath lay payroll obligations from another province applied to local staff by an out-of-province provider. Collections had already started.
What we did for A B2B SaaS company, Airdrie, Alberta
We registered for the out-of-province obligations that had been triggered, then reconciled the GST filings to the sales ledger province by province. We then filed every outstanding year in chronological order so the CRA could vacate the notional assessments cleanly.
The result — A B2B SaaS company, Airdrie, Alberta
All 7 years were accepted as filed. $80,000 of arbitrarily assessed tax was vacated, collections action stopped, and the account is current for the first time in 7 years.
Case Study 4 · CRA review defended
$78,000 Proposed Adjustment Withdrawn In Full — Courier Fleet, Airdrie
Client: A courier fleet · Where: Airdrie, Alberta · Engagement: 11 weeks, fixed fee
Adjustment withdrawn$78,000
File closed in11 weeks
Penalties assessedNone
The situation — A courier fleet, Airdrie, Alberta
A courier fleet in Airdrie, Alberta received a proposal letter opening a review of its AB tax and accounting file. The CRA had identified sales into HST provinces billed at AB’s 5% GST rate. It proposed an adjustment of $78,000, with 30 days to respond.
What we did for A courier fleet, Airdrie, Alberta
We treated the response as an evidence exercise rather than an argument. We recalculated the corporate tax at the 11% combined small business rate and rebased the instalments on the current year. We then indexed every supporting document against the specific line the auditor had questioned.
The result — A courier fleet, Airdrie, Alberta
The proposed adjustment was withdrawn in full — all $78,000 of it. The file closed in 11 weeks with no change to the assessed amounts and no penalty.
Client: A grain farm corporation · Where: Airdrie, Alberta · Engagement: 9 weeks, fixed fee
Overpayment refunded$24,000
Late remittances sinceZero
ScheduleAutomated
The situation — A grain farm corporation, Airdrie, Alberta
Remittances at a grain farm corporation in Airdrie, Alberta were consistently late by a few days. That was enough to trigger penalties every quarter. Behind it sat sector-specific exposure the previous accountant had not seen before.
What we did for A grain farm corporation, Airdrie, Alberta
We assessed and claimed Alberta Innovation Employment Grant alongside the federal return. Then we moved the remittance dates into a scheduled process rather than a monthly decision.
The result — A grain farm corporation, Airdrie, Alberta
Penalties stopped from the following remittance onwards, and $24,000 of overpaid instalments was refunded.
Case Study 6 · Objection and relief
$141,000 Of Penalties And Interest Cancelled On Relief — Custom Home Builder, Airdrie
Client: A custom home builder · Where: Airdrie, Alberta · Engagement: 5 weeks, fixed fee
Penalties and interest cancelled$141,000
Relief groundsAccepted
AssessmentAdjusted to filed position
The situation — A custom home builder, Airdrie, Alberta
An assessment of $141,000 landed at a custom home builder in Airdrie, Alberta following a desk review. It turned on a registration threshold crossed on out-of-province sales that nobody was tracking. The auditor had not seen the records behind it.
What we did for A custom home builder, Airdrie, Alberta
We assessed and claimed Alberta Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit alongside the federal return. We then set out the legislative basis for the position alongside the documents supporting it.
The result — A custom home builder, Airdrie, Alberta
$141,000 of penalties and interest was cancelled under the taxpayer relief provisions, and the underlying assessment was adjusted to match the filed position.
Reviewed by Udit Gupta, Founder and Tax Accountant for the 2025 tax year. These case studies are illustrative worked examples composed from the CRA rules that apply to this type of work, not specific client files; figures are representative and outcomes depend on your own facts.
