--- title: "Corporate Tax Accountant Toronto | T2 Filing | EverStone CPA" url: https://www.everstonecpa.com/corporate-tax-accountant-toronto description: "Remote CPA preparing T2 corporate returns for Toronto companies — Ontario rates, HST, employer health tax and the registry annual return — ask for a fee." type: service-in-a-city updated: 2026-10-02 summary: "A Toronto corporation reports Ontario tax inside the same T2 it files federally, at combined rates of 11.2% and 26.5% (the small-business rate fell from 12.2% on 1 July 2026). It then files a separate annual return with the Ontario Business Registry. EverStone prepares the corporate return remotely at a fixed fee." faq_count: 8 publisher: EverStone CPA Inc., a Chartered Professional Accountant firm registered with CPA British Columbia and CPA Alberta service_area: British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba language: en-CA contact: info@everstonecpa.com · https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online --- [Home](https://www.everstonecpa.com/) [Corporate tax](https://www.everstonecpa.com/tax-services) Toronto Corporate tax · Toronto # Corporate tax accountant for *Toronto* corporations Ontario collects its corporate income tax through the federal return, so a Toronto company files one T2 carrying both layers — then a separate registry return on its own deadline. EverStone prepares both remotely. See the [Ontario tax reference](https://www.everstonecpa.com/ontario-tax-facts) or the [Toronto practice](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-toronto). [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online)[Ask a Free Question](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) **Quick answer:** A Toronto corporation reports Ontario tax inside the same T2 it files federally, at combined rates of 11.2% and 26.5% (the small-business rate fell from 12.2% on 1 July 2026). It then files a separate annual return with the Ontario Business Registry. EverStone prepares the corporate return remotely at a fixed fee. Bundled with monthly bookkeeping and payroll, the year-end T2 for a one-owner trades company generally comes to $500–$700 a month. The year-end covers the T2 with Schedule 1 and Schedule 50, the CCA schedule, the small business deduction, T4 or T5 slips for the owner’s pay, and the instalments for the year ahead. The 1 July 2026 cut moved Ontario’s two rates further apart. ## One return, two layers of tax Active business income eligible for the [small business deduction](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/publications/t4012.html) is taxed at a combined 11.2% on a $500,000 business limit. That is 9% federal plus Ontario’s 2.2% lower rate for days after 30 June 2026 (12.2% before; a straddling year is prorated by days). A T2 tax filing consultant in Ontario therefore works from one return, with the provincial layer calculated inside the federal T2 rather than on a separate return. General income is taxed at 26.5% (15% federal plus Ontario’s 11.5%). The pairing is unusual: Ontario’s small-business rate is the highest among the provinces and its general rate among the lowest, so the gap between qualifying and non-qualifying income is narrower than almost anywhere. It is the figure a T2 corporate tax accountant should model with a growing company before the year end, not after it. ## HST instead of two sales taxes Ontario harmonized its sales tax with the GST: a single 13% HST, administered federally. That means one registration, one return and, critically, a provincial component recoverable as an [input tax credit](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/publications/rc4022.html) like the federal one, so no provincial sales tax hides in cost of goods sold. Toronto companies often meet the difference only when they start trading with a province that still charges separate PST. [Input tax credits](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/input-tax-credits-itc-canada-guide) covers what is recoverable and the records the CRA expects. ## Employer health tax: the rate is chosen before the exemption Ontario’s employer health tax has a feature that catches employers out. The rate band is set by total Ontario remuneration *before* the exemption; only then is the exemption subtracted. Crossing a band boundary raises the rate on everything, not just the excess. The exemption is $1,000,000, and none is available where the employer or its associated group has over $5,000,000 of annual Ontario payroll. Associated employers must file an allocation agreement to share one exemption. Model the cost before hiring, not after. ## The registry annual return is a separate filing An Ontario corporation files its annual return through the Ontario Business Registry within six months of fiscal year end. It is not part of the T2 and produces no tax assessment if missed, so it gets forgotten. It keeps the company in good standing; neglect stays administrative until a lender, purchaser or lawyer asks for a certificate of status. [Corporate annual returns](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/corporate-annual-return-bc-vs-federal) explains how it differs by jurisdiction of incorporation. ## Dividends out of a Toronto professional or agency corporation Many Toronto corporations in professional services, design, marketing and technology have a spouse or family member as shareholder. Under the extended tax on split income, their dividends can be taxed at the top marginal rate regardless of other income unless an excluded-share, labour-contribution or age-based exception applies. Those turn on facts, so analyse before declaring the dividend. [Tax on split income](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/tosi-tax-on-split-income-canada) sets out the exceptions. ## Instalments once the corporation is profitable After its first profitable year, a Toronto corporation generally pays [instalments](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/corporations/corporation-payments/paying-instalments.html) of combined federal and Ontario tax. They are based on the prior year, so a fast-growing company pays too little, then meets a large balance plus interest at filing; a shrinking one overpays unless the estimate is revised. The balance is generally due before the return. [T2 deadlines and penalties](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/t2-deadline-penalties-canada) sets out the dates. ## Working with a CPA outside Ontario EverStone is a fully virtual, one-CPA firm with no Toronto office, branch or local staff. Ontario corporate tax is reported inside the federal return under the same rules wherever the preparer sits, and filed electronically. You give up dropping paperwork at a downtown reception desk; you get the same CPA from first question to filed return. With a rate change mid-year, the year-end target matters more, and [a budget built from the operations](https://www.everstonecpa.com/budgeting-and-forecasting) fixes it before December. About this article **EverStone CPA** Written and reviewed by a Chartered Professional Accountant at EverStone CPA, a CPA firm preparing T2 returns and Ontario registry filings for Toronto corporations remotely. Updated September 2026 . [About the firm](https://www.everstonecpa.com/about) · [Send an enquiry](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) ## Key T2 dates for a Toronto corporation Key T2 dates for a Toronto corporation Your fiscal year-end sets these dates, not the calendar year — for a business operating in Toronto, Ontario | Obligation | When it is due | | Balance owing | 3 months after fiscal year-end, for a CCPC claiming the small-business deduction | | [T2 return](https://www.everstonecpa.com/glossary) filing | 6 months after fiscal year-end | | Instalments | Monthly or quarterly, where your corporation is required to pay them | | Sales tax where you operate | 13% HST, a single registration and a single return | Source: [All CRA deadlines](https://www.everstonecpa.com/cra-tax-deadlines). General information, not advice. In Toronto, EverStone also works with [agencies](https://www.everstonecpa.com/agency-accountant-toronto). ## Who this is for, and who it is not For a Toronto corporation that wants the T2, the Ontario layers and the registry return handled by one CPA at a fee fixed first. Not for price-only shoppers, or anyone wanting a downtown desk to visit. The work is remote, on [published fees](https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing). ## What happens when you get in touch A Toronto company starts in three steps. - **Email enquiry.** Tell us about the company, past filings and anything late, then get a written fixed fee with no obligation. - **CRA access.** [Authorization](https://www.everstonecpa.com/forms/aut-01) lets us read balances and notices directly; [a previous firm’s file](https://www.everstonecpa.com/switching-accountants) is requested that week. - **Caught up.** Books closed, late years filed oldest first, and [T2 and instalment dates](https://www.everstonecpa.com/t2-deadline) set for the year. [Send an enquiry](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) or [ask a question](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question). Common questions ## Toronto corporate tax questions **What is the corporate tax rate for a Toronto company?** Combined rates are 11.2% on active business income eligible for the small business deduction (9% federal plus 2.2% Ontario) for days after 30 June 2026 (12.2% before that date; a straddling year is prorated by days) and 26.5% on general income (15% federal plus 11.5% Ontario), on a $500,000 business limit. [Ask about your case →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) **Does Ontario have a separate corporate tax return?** No. The CRA collects Ontario corporate income tax through the same T2. The separate Ontario filing is the annual return to the Ontario Business Registry, a corporate-law obligation, not a tax return. **When is the Ontario annual return due?** Within six months of the corporation’s fiscal year end, filed through the Ontario Business Registry. It keeps the corporation in good standing and its registered information current, and it is separate from the T2. **Can every Ontario employer claim the health tax exemption?** No. The $1,000,000 exemption is unavailable where the employer or its associated group has more than $5,000,000 of annual Ontario payroll, and associated employers must file an allocation agreement to share the single exemption between them. **Do you have a Toronto office?** No. Documents are exchanged securely online, returns are e-signed, and no office visit is ever required. **Is HST different from GST for my corporation?** It is the same tax administered federally, at 13% in Ontario rather than 5%. The provincial component is recoverable as an input tax credit in the same way as the federal component, so no provincial sales tax sits unrecovered inside your costs. **What does a corporate tax return cost in Toronto?** Toronto businesses pay the same published fees as everyone else. Standalone T2 work is priced after we review your enquiry, once the books are seen. For a one-owner trades company, bookkeeping, payroll and a year-end return with statements usually run $500 to $700 a month combined. [Published fees](https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing). **Do you work with businesses outside Toronto itself?** Yes. Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughan, Markham and the rest of the GTA are handled like Toronto itself, by video, phone, email and a secure upload link, on the same fixed fees. ## Related services and local guides More Toronto services, other cities, and the Ontario reference pages. [Bookkeeping for Toronto businesses](https://www.everstonecpa.com/bookkeeping-toronto) [New Corporation Setup Checklist A free checklist for a new Canadian corporation’s first ninety days, in dependency order: registration, CRA accounts, banking, books and deadlines.](https://www.everstonecpa.com/new-corporation-setup-checklist) [Direct deposit and CRA online mail: setting both up for your corporation](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/direct-deposit-and-cra-online-mail-business) [Charitable donations: giving personally versus giving through your corporation](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/charitable-donations-personal-vs-corporate) [Fractional CFO support for Toronto agencies and consultancies](https://www.everstonecpa.com/cfo-services-toronto) [Corporate tax (T2) in Ottawa](https://www.everstonecpa.com/corporate-tax-accountant-ottawa) [Corporate tax (T2) in Chilliwack](https://www.everstonecpa.com/corporate-tax-accountant-chilliwack) [Corporate tax (T2) in Abbotsford](https://www.everstonecpa.com/corporate-tax-accountant-abbotsford) [Financial statements in Toronto](https://www.everstonecpa.com/financial-statements-toronto) [GST/HST filing in Toronto](https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-hst-filing-toronto) [Payroll in Toronto](https://www.everstonecpa.com/payroll-services-toronto) [Corporate tax hub Every T2 guide in one place](https://www.everstonecpa.com/corporate-tax-hub) [T2 deadline calculator Find your filing and payment dates](https://www.everstonecpa.com/t2-deadline-calculator) [Accountants across Ontario](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-ontario) [Ontario tax facts Current rates and thresholds for Ontario](https://www.everstonecpa.com/ontario-tax-facts) [Accounting for Toronto trades and contractors](https://www.everstonecpa.com/trades-accountant-toronto) [Personal tax accountant in Toronto](https://www.everstonecpa.com/personal-tax-accountant-toronto) ### Starting fees Every fee is fixed in writing before any work begins. - **Corporate year-end and T2 return** fixed fee, quoted in writing *This page* - **Monthly bookkeeping, HST filing included** from $325 a month - **Payroll, remittances, T4s and ROEs** included in monthly bookkeeping - **Books, payroll and the year-end T2 together** $500–$700 a month - **Personal tax return (T1)** from $125; self-employed or rental $275–$500 - **Catch-up bookkeeping** from $2,200 per year of records - **Controller or CFO support** controller from $1,650, CFO from $2,750 a month - **One-off advice call with a CPA** $225 plus GST [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online?service=corporate-tax#enquiry-form) --- Source: https://www.everstonecpa.com/corporate-tax-accountant-toronto Prices: https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing · Contact: info@everstonecpa.com · https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online