6 Worker Classification Review tax and accounting engagements in full — what the client came to us with, what we did, and what it was worth. Each one is specific to worker classification review work, not a general example.
Case Study 1 · Records and systems rebuilt
Books Rebuilt From Source, $18,500 In Unclaimed Input Tax Found — 30-Employee Manufacturer, Regina
A 30-employee manufacturer in Regina, Saskatchewan could not answer basic questions about its own numbers, because long-term contractors who met every test for employment sat between the bank statements and the ledger.
What we did
We moved the account to the correct remitter frequency, caught up the arrears, and filed a taxpayer relief request that cancelled the bulk of the penalty, then documented the process so the work does not depend on any one person remembering how it was done.
The result
Records rebuilt and reconciled, $18,500 recovered in input tax credits that the old file could not support, and a documented monthly process now in place.
Case Study 2 · Structure rebuilt
Reorganisation Completed Tax-Deferred, $67,000 Saved Each Year — Security Services Contractor, London
A security services contractor in London, Ontario had outgrown the structure it started with. Company vehicles used personally with no logbook and no taxable benefit reported was the immediate problem; the longer-term one was that the structure blocked the next step.
What we did
We mapped the current structure, modelled the target, and reconciled the payroll register, general ledger and T4 summary to the cent, then filed the amended slips — with the tax-deferred elections filed on time and the supporting valuations documented.
The result
The reorganisation completed without triggering tax, and the new structure saves approximately $67,000 a year while removing the exposure the old one carried.
Case Study 3 · Missed incentive claimed
Incentive Review Recovered $27,500 Across 3 Open Years — Home-Care Agency, Surrey
Client: A home-care agency · Where: Surrey, British Columbia · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Recovered$27,500
Open years claimed3
Ongoing trackingIn place
The situation
An incentive review at a home-care agency in Surrey, British Columbia started from a simple question: what has never been claimed? The answer ran to 3 years, driven by company vehicles used personally with no logbook and no taxable benefit reported.
What we did
We reconstructed vehicle logbooks, calculated the standby charge and operating benefit properly, and amended the affected T4s, documenting eligibility to the standard a reviewer would apply rather than the standard a claim form requires.
The result
The credits produced $27,500 across the open years, and the tracking now in place means the following year's claim is documented as the work happens rather than reconstructed afterwards.
Case Study 4 · Planning that cut the bill
$36,500 Saved By Correcting What Prior Filings Had Missed — Dental Practice, Ottawa
Client: A dental practice · Where: Ottawa, Ontario · Engagement: 6 weeks, fixed fee
Saving identified$36,500
RecurringYes
Positions documentedAll
The situation
A dental practice in Ottawa, Ontario asked for a second opinion on worker classification review after three years of rising tax. The review found a director facing a personal assessment for unremitted source deductions.
What we did
We built the comparison first — current structure against two alternatives — and then reviewed each contractor against the CRA’s control and integration tests, converted those who met the employment tests, and priced the transition before it was forced by a ruling.
The result
First-year saving of $36,500, with the same benefit recurring. Every position taken is documented and supported in the file.
Case Study 5 · Deadline rescue
9-Week Turnaround Beat The Deadline And Saved $136,000 — Retail Chain Across Two, Vancouver
Client: A retail chain across two provinces · Where: Vancouver, British Columbia · Engagement: 9 weeks, fixed fee
Late-filing penalty avoided$136,000
Filed with12 days to spare
Next yearPapers ready
The situation
With the deadline for worker classification review weeks away, a retail chain across two provinces in Vancouver, British Columbia was carrying remittances still going out monthly after the business had moved to the accelerated threshold. The exposure if the date slipped was around $136,000.
What we did
We moved the account to the correct remitter frequency, caught up the arrears, and filed a taxpayer relief request that cancelled the bulk of the penalty. The filing went in complete rather than provisional, so there was no amended return to follow.
The result
Filed with 12 days to spare. $136,000 in late-filing penalties avoided, and the working papers are ready for the following year.
Case Study 6 · Backlog brought current
4 Years Filed, $53,000 Removed From The Assessed Balance — Restaurant with Heavy Seasonal, Lethbridge
Client: A restaurant with heavy seasonal turnover · Where: Lethbridge, Alberta · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Years filed4
Assessed balance removed$53,000
CollectionsStopped
The situation
A restaurant with heavy seasonal turnover in Lethbridge, Alberta had not filed for 4 years. The CRA had issued arbitrary assessments, and the business was carrying long-term contractors who met every test for employment on top of a growing interest balance.
What we did
We started with the oldest year and worked forward so each year's closing balances fed the next. We reconciled the payroll register, general ledger and T4 summary to the cent, then filed the amended slips, filing the years in sequence rather than all at once.
The result
Every year is now filed and assessed on actual figures. The notional assessments were vacated and $53,000 of the estimated balance came off, with a payment arrangement covering the rest.
Reviewed for the 2025 tax year by Udit Gupta, Certified Tax Accountant. Figures describe representative engagements of this type; outcomes depend on your own facts. Client names and identifying details are omitted for confidentiality.
