VictoriaBusiness.ca charges in four ways: hourly, by project, by monthly retainer, or through the performance-based Growth Partner Program. Prices are in Canadian dollars, BC clients add 5% GST, and the first 30-minute consultation is free with no obligation. These are the group's standard consulting rates; the full rate card is on BusinessConsulting.ca's pricing page.
Hourly consulting
$175–$350 /hour
Strategy sessions and expert advice by the hour.
Project
$3,500–$25,000 per project
Defined-scope work such as a plan, assessment or launch, with milestone payments.
Monthly retainer
$2,500–$12,000 /month
Ongoing advisory and execution support.
Growth Partner Program
Custom
Performance-based partnership: Ali invests time upfront and is paid on measurable results. Limited partnerships available.
Free initial consultation · no lock-in. The initial 30-minute consultation is free, with no obligation.
Prices in Canadian dollars. Sales tax is added based on the client's province (as of October 2026, CRA rates): 5% GST in Alberta, BC, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon, NWT and Nunavut; 13% HST in Ontario; 14% HST in Nova Scotia; 15% HST in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and PEI; 5% GST plus 9.975% QST in Quebec. Provincial sales tax (BC, Manitoba, Saskatchewan) only where it applies to the service. See full pricing on businessconsulting.ca/pricing.
The rate card
Pick the format that matches how defined the work is.
| Format | Price (CAD, before 5% GST) | Typical use for a Victoria owner |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly consulting | $175–$350 per hour | Checking a contract bid, a lease renewal or an agency proposal |
| Project | $3,500–$25,000 per project | A growth plan, spend review, operations review or seasonal plan, paid by milestone |
| Monthly retainer | $2,500–$12,000 per month | Ongoing advisory sessions and support between calls |
| Growth Partner Program | Custom | Performance-based: Ali's time comes first and payment follows measured results (limited partnerships available) |
What moves a project up or down the range
Five factors decide most quotes.
- Number of service lines or locations. A single-location café is simpler than a three-crew trades firm working across the core and the West Shore.
- State of the figures. Clean monthly reports save time. Bank statements and shoeboxes take longer, and we tell you that up front.
- Number of people involved. Interviews with three staff take less time than interviews with fifteen.
- Depth of deliverable. A ranked list of fixes is quicker than a full model with staff training.
- Combined work. A growth plan plus a spend review costs less together than separately, because the discovery is shared.
Three illustrative budgets
These examples show how owners typically use each format; your quote depends on your scope.
- An Esquimalt café owner reviewing a second-location lease might use three hourly sessions to test the numbers, so somewhere between $525 and $1,050 plus GST.
- A Langford electrical contractor with six staff might commission a spend review and operations review together as one project toward the lower part of the project range.
- A multi-location Victoria retailer might keep a mid-range monthly retainer for a year while rolling out a growth plan, with the option to stop at any month.
The arithmetic for the café: 3 hours × $175 = $525 at the low end, 3 hours × $350 = $1,050 at the high end. Your hourly rate is confirmed in writing before the first paid session.
How to decide what to spend
A consulting fee should be judged against the decision it informs. If you are about to sign a five-year lease worth $300,000, a few hours of review is small insurance. If a spend review shows that $800 a month of directory listings produced no work, the project may pay for itself within the year.
A simple test: write down the size of the decision, in dollars, and what you would lose if you got it wrong. If the fee is a small share of that, it is worth a conversation. If not, an hour or two may be enough. Our marketing budget guide uses the same kind of reasoning for marketing spend.
Terms in plain language
What we can state now, and what is confirmed in your proposal.
- Free first consultation: 30 minutes, no obligation.
- No lock-in: retainers can be stopped; notice terms are written into your proposal.
- Milestone payments: projects are billed in stages tied to deliverables.
- Ownership: the plans, models and documents we produce for you are yours.
- GST: 5% added for BC clients (CRA rates, checked 2026-10-23).
Anything not listed here, such as payment timing or notice periods, is set out in writing before you commit, so the proposal you sign is the full picture. For broader questions, see the FAQ, or start a conversation on the contact page.
Frequently asked questions
Why are the prices given as ranges?
Because the work varies with the size of the business, the number of service lines and locations, and how organised the figures are. After the free consultation you receive a written quote with one price for a project, or one rate for hourly and retainer work.
Do you charge GST?
Yes. All prices are in Canadian dollars, and BC clients add 5% GST, shown as a separate line on each invoice, plus provincial sales tax only where it applies to the service.
Can I stop a retainer?
Yes. There is no lock-in. Notice terms are stated in writing in your proposal so there are no surprises.
What is the Growth Partner Program?
It is a performance-based arrangement: Ali puts in time first, and his fee depends on results you can both measure. Terms are custom, it suits businesses with clean, trackable numbers, and only a limited number of partnerships are available.
Are there costs beyond your fee?
Sometimes, such as software, advertising or a specialist you choose to hire. Any expected outside cost is named in the quote, and it is paid from your own accounts wherever possible.