How Much Does It Cost in Canada? A Directory of Cost Guides

Most big expenses in life have a few things that decide the price: where you live, the scope or level of service, and what insurance or government programs cover. The guides below explain those drivers for each expense and give figures where a government, regulator or named publisher sets or publishes them. Every cost guide on the site is listed below, including the ones that live in other sections.

Family and children

The cost of having a baby: birth, gear and the income lost on parental leave in the first year.
The cost of raising a child: from birth to 18, and what the Canada Child Benefit offsets.
Daycare costs by province: reduced-fee child care programs and what parents pay.
Wedding costs: the budget by category.
The cost of owning a pet: yearly and lifetime costs for a dog or cat.
The cost of university: tuition, residence and living costs.

Health, dental and vision

Routine dental work: checkups, fillings, root canals, crowns and extractions without insurance.
Dental implants
Braces
Invisalign
LASIK and laser eye surgery

Legal and documents

What lawyers charge: hourly rates and flat fees by practice area.
What a will costs: a kit, an online service or a lawyer.
What a divorce costs: court fees, lawyers and mediation.
Passport fees: by passport type, age and service.

Home

Renovating a house: costs by project and room.
Kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, basement renovations and home additions.
Building a house: cost per square foot and worked totals.
Closing costs when buying a home: legal fees, land transfer tax and other costs by province.
Monthly carrying costs of a home
Moving costs: local, long-distance and interprovincial moves.
Energy upgrades: heat pumps, solar panels, insulation and electric vs gas heating.

Cars

Money and insurance

Later life

Retirement home costs: retirement residences and assisted living by province.
Long-term care costs: the resident charges provinces set, home care and private care.
Funeral costs: burial vs cremation and what drives the price.

Planning for these costs is covered in our budgeting guides, and the cost of living in different cities in cost of living in Canada.

What lawyers charge

Legal fees in Canada depend on four things more than anything else: the area of law, how experienced the lawyer is, the city, and how the work is billed. A routine matter with a predictable scope (a home purchase, a will, an incorporation) is often done for a flat fee; anything that can turn into a dispute is usually billed by the hour, and the total depends on how far it goes.

How lawyers bill

Billing type	Usually used for	What to know
Flat fee	Predictable work: real estate closings, wills, incorporations, uncontested divorces	You know the cost up front; extra work outside the scope is billed separately
Hourly	Litigation and open-ended matters	You pay for time spent; the total is hard to predict
Contingency	Personal injury, some wrongful dismissal claims	The lawyer takes a percentage of any settlement or award and nothing if you lose; provinces regulate these agreements
Retainer	Most hourly work	A deposit held in trust and drawn down as work is done

On top of fees, clients pay disbursements (court filing fees, searches, registration costs, couriers) and sales tax on the fees.

What drives the hourly rate

Factor	Effect
Experience	Senior lawyers and partners charge more than junior associates; some work is delegated to juniors, clerks or paralegals at lower rates
Firm size	Large national firms charge more than small firms and sole practitioners
City	Rates are generally highest in Toronto and Vancouver and lower in smaller cities and rural areas
Practice area	Specialized areas (tax, securities, complex litigation) cost more than routine work

Costs by area of law

Real estate

Buying a home usually means a flat legal fee plus disbursements for title searches and registration, and often title insurance. What a real estate lawyer does on a purchase or sale is covered in what a real estate lawyer does, and all the closing costs by province in the closing cost guides.

Family law and divorce

An uncontested divorce or a negotiated separation agreement costs far less than a contested case, and the cost of a dispute rises with every step toward trial. Court fees, mediation and collaborative law are compared in how much a divorce costs.

Wills and estates

Wills and powers of attorney are usually flat-fee work; estates with trusts, a business or several jurisdictions cost more. See how much a will costs. Helping an executor through probate is billed separately, usually hourly.

Criminal defence

Criminal lawyers often charge a block fee for each stage of a case, set by how serious the charge is and whether it goes to trial. Provincial legal aid plans cover criminal defence for people who qualify financially.

Immigration

Immigration lawyers usually charge flat fees per application (permanent residence, sponsorship, work and study permits, citizenship) and more for hearings and appeals. Licensed immigration consultants (RCICs) can also represent clients on applications, often for less. Government application fees are separate from professional fees.

Business and corporate

Incorporations, shareholder and partnership agreements, lease reviews, employment contracts and trademark registration are often flat-fee; buying or selling a business is usually hourly. The choice of business structure is covered in self-employed vs incorporated.

Ways to lower legal costs

Comparing quotes. Fees for the same work vary between firms.
Asking for a flat fee for predictable work.
Doing your own preparation. Organized documents and a written timeline reduce billable hours.
Paralegals. In Ontario, licensed paralegals can handle small claims, landlord and tenant matters, traffic tickets and some minor offences.
Mediation for family and civil disputes.
Legal aid. Provincial plans such as Legal Aid Ontario and Legal Aid BC cover some criminal, family and immigration matters for people with low income.
Law school clinics, where supervised students give free help.
Unbundled services. Paying a lawyer for specific tasks (reviewing a document, coaching you for a hearing) instead of full representation.