6 Public Transit & Charter 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 public transit & charter work, not a general example.
Case Study 1 · Planning that cut the bill
$14,000 Cut From The Annual Tax Bill — Moving and Storage Company, Lethbridge
Client: A moving and storage company · Where: Lethbridge, Alberta · Engagement: 11 weeks, fixed fee
First-year saving$14,000
RepeatsAnnually
Filing positionUnchanged in risk
The situation
A moving and storage company in Lethbridge, Alberta was compliant but paying more than it needed to. The prior year had been filed correctly and still left sector deductions claimed on a general-business basis rather than the public transit & charter rules on the table.
What we did
We modelled the current position against the alternatives before changing anything, then rebuilt the chart of accounts around how a public transit & charter business actually earns and spends.
The result
The change saved $14,000 in the first year and repeats annually. Nothing about the filings became more aggressive; the position is simply the one the rules already allowed.
Case Study 2 · Records and systems rebuilt
22 Months Reconciled And $13,000 Of Input Tax Recovered — Logistics Brokerage, Burnaby
Client: A logistics brokerage · Where: Burnaby, British Columbia · Engagement: 8 weeks, fixed fee
Months reconciled22
Input tax recovered$13,000
Close time9 days
The situation
A logistics brokerage in Burnaby, British Columbia was carrying a chart of accounts that told the owner nothing about public transit & charter margin. Nothing reconciled, and every filing started with 22 months of cleanup.
What we did
We rebuilt from source rather than correcting on top of the existing file. We documented the positions to the standard the CRA applies to this sector specifically, then set the routine that keeps it clean.
The result
22 months reconciled to the bank. The close now takes 9 days, and $13,000 of previously unclaimable input tax was recovered in the process.
Case Study 3 · Objection and relief
Notice Of Objection Allowed In Full, $19,500 Reversed — Refrigerated Transport Company, Calgary
Client: A refrigerated transport company · Where: Calgary, Alberta · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Amount reversed$19,500
ObjectionAllowed in full
Account balanceNil
The situation
A refrigerated transport company in Calgary, Alberta had been reassessed for $19,500 and had 17 days left on the objection deadline. The reassessment rested on equipment and asset classes assigned by guesswork rather than the CCA schedule.
What we did
We filed the objection inside the deadline with a complete submission rather than a placeholder, and reassigned the asset classes on the CCA schedule and corrected the opening balances.
The result
The appeals officer allowed the objection in full. $19,500 was reversed and the account returned to a nil balance.
Case Study 4 · Backlog brought current
$68,000 Of Arbitrary Assessments Vacated After 3 Years — Last-Mile Delivery Company, Regina
Client: A last-mile delivery company · Where: Regina, Saskatchewan · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Arbitrary tax vacated$68,000
Years brought current3
Account statusCurrent
The situation
3 years of unfiled returns had turned into notional assessments at a last-mile delivery company in Regina, Saskatchewan, with industry-specific reporting obligations nobody had flagged underneath. Collections had already started.
What we did
We reviewed every sector-specific deduction against the current rules and claimed the ones that had been missed, then filed every outstanding year in chronological order so the CRA could vacate the notional assessments cleanly.
The result
All 3 years were accepted as filed. $68,000 of arbitrarily assessed tax was vacated, collections action stopped, and the account is current for the first time in 3 years.
Case Study 5 · Missed incentive claimed
$55,000 In Credits Claimed That Prior Filings Had Missed — Courier Fleet, Mississauga
A courier fleet in Mississauga, Ontario had been filing for 6 years without ever claiming the incentives its activity qualified for. Behind that sat development and improvement work written off as ordinary overhead.
What we did
We tested each activity against the eligibility criteria rather than the description on the invoice, then aligned the reporting calendar with the sector’s own seasonal cycle rather than a generic year-end.
The result
$55,000 in credits claimed, with the open prior years adjusted as well. The claim passed review without adjustment.
Case Study 6 · Scaling without breaking
Growth Handled Without A Missed Filing, $23,000 Freed — Heavy-Haul Specialist, Red Deer
Client: A heavy-haul specialist · Where: Red Deer, Alberta · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Cash freed$23,000
Compliance failuresNone
ReportingMonthly
The situation
A heavy-haul specialist in Red Deer, Alberta was opening in a second province — different filing obligations, a different payroll regime, and a previous accountant with no experience of this sector already in the file.
What we did
We rebuilt the chart of accounts around how a public transit & charter business actually earns and spends and put monthly reporting in place so the owner could see the cash effect of growth while there was still time to act on it.
The result
Growth was absorbed without a compliance failure. $23,000 of cash was released, and the monthly reporting now flags a problem while it is still small.
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.
