Payroll Services for Contractors in Kelowna and the Okanagan

Most contractors do not get in trouble for the payroll they run. They get in trouble for the remittance that went in two weeks late. We run your pay runs, send your source deductions to CRA on time and file your T4s, so your crew gets paid right and your filings stay clean. Payroll for trades and small businesses across Kelowna and the Okanagan, from a former trades business owner who made payroll every two weeks while waiting on net 30 customers.

What is included

  • Pay runs on your schedule (weekly, every two weeks or semi-monthly), with pay stubs for every employee

  • CPP, EI and income tax worked out on every cheque, including the second CPP tier for higher earners

  • Source deductions remitted to CRA by the due date (for most small employers, the 15th of the month after payday)

  • Vacation pay, statutory holiday pay and paid sick days tracked under BC Employment Standards

  • T4 slips and summary filed by the deadline (for 2026 pay, Monday March 1, 2027)

  • Records of Employment when someone leaves, within CRA's five-day window

  • WorkSafeBC payroll reporting support and year-end reconciliation

  • Help deciding employee or subcontractor, so you are ready if CRA ever reviews your payroll

How it works

  • 1. Send your hours. Text, email or a timesheet photo, by the cutoff we agree on.

  • 2. We run payroll. Pay is calculated, deposits are set up and pay stubs go to your crew.

  • 3. Everything else is handled. Remittances, vacation pay tracking and year-end slips, with a short summary to you after each pay run.

What an employee really costs

Hiring is more than the hourly wage. Example only, 2026 rates: an employee earning $60,000 a year costs you about $67,100 before WorkSafeBC premiums.

  • Employer CPP (5.95% above the first $3,500): about $3,360

  • Employer EI (1.4 times the employee's 1.63%): about $1,370

  • Vacation pay at 4%: $2,400

  • Plus your WorkSafeBC premium, which depends on your trade's rate

Every business is different, so try it with your own numbers in the free Thinking of Hiring calculator.

Common payroll mistakes we fix

  • Remitting late. CRA charges penalties on late source deductions, even if the payroll itself was right.

  • Paying a worker as a subcontractor when CRA would see an employee. That can mean back CPP and EI, plus penalties.

  • Forgetting vacation pay or stat holiday pay on hourly crews.

  • Missing the T4 deadline, or filing T4s that do not match what was remitted.

But there's a way to do this right. Put payroll on a schedule with someone who checks every remittance against what was paid, every time.

Pricing

Payroll for up to 3 employees is included in our Growth plan ($750/month + GST), along with monthly bookkeeping, GST filing, your T2 and year-end statements. Payroll only? We quote it up front based on how many people you pay and how often, so you know the cost before we start.

Questions

How much do payroll services cost in Kelowna?

It depends on how many people you pay and how often. Payroll for up to 3 employees is included in our Growth plan at $750/month + GST, with bookkeeping, GST and your corporate tax return. Payroll on its own is quoted up front.

When are payroll remittances due to CRA?

Most small employers are regular remitters, and CRA must receive the deductions by the 15th of the month after the month you paid your employees. Larger employers remit more often.

Do I need WorkSafeBC if I hire one person?

Yes. In BC, a business that hires one or more workers must register for WorkSafeBC coverage.

When are T4s due?

T4 slips and the summary are due by the last day of February. For 2026 pay that is Monday March 1, 2027, because February 28 falls on a Sunday.

Do I have to pay BC Employer Health Tax?

Not if your total BC payroll is $1,000,000 or less in the year. Associated businesses share one exemption.

Can you take over payroll partway through the year?

Yes. We pick up from your last pay run and reconcile year-to-date amounts so your T4s come out right.

How Murtagh & Co. Can Help.

We run payroll for trades and small businesses across the Okanagan: pay runs, remittances, T4s and ROEs, set up around how your crew actually works, so you can get back to the job site.

Murtagh & Co. is run by Devon Murtagh, CFA, FRM, a former trades business owner who has been on the other side of payroll day and knows what it takes to make it every two weeks.

Prefer to talk it through? Book a free 30-minute call at a time that works for you, or reach out at info@murtaghco.ca.