If you're running a small business in Canada and paying employees, you're dealing with CPP, EI, and provincial income tax whether you like it or not. Most scheduling apps just ignore this entirely — they track hours and tell you to figure out the rest yourself.
This guide breaks it down in plain English, and shows how ShiftMaster handles all of it automatically so you can stop doing payroll math at midnight.
The Three Things You Must Deduct From Every Paycheque
1. Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
CPP is a mandatory contribution that both the employee and employer make. For 2025–2026:
| Who pays | Rate | Annual maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Employee | 5.95% of pensionable earnings | ~$3,867 |
| Employer | 5.95% (matching the employee) | ~$3,867 |
CPP only applies on earnings above the basic exemption (~$3,500/year). For part-time workers who earn less than that in a year, you still deduct per pay period based on prorated thresholds.
2. Employment Insurance (EI)
EI protects workers if they lose their job or take parental leave. Again, both parties contribute:
| Who pays | Rate (2025–2026) | Annual maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Employee | 1.64% of insurable earnings | ~$1,049 |
| Employer | 2.30% (1.4× the employee rate) | ~$1,469 |
EI applies up to the maximum insurable earnings (~$63,200/year). Most part-time café and restaurant workers will never hit this ceiling, but full-time managers might.
3. Provincial Income Tax (Alberta)
Alberta has a flat provincial tax rate of 10% for the first $148,269 of income — the simplest provincial tax structure in Canada. Combined with federal tax, here's roughly what employees owe:
| Annual Income | Federal Tax Rate | Alberta Provincial | Combined (approx) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 – $57,375 | 15% | 10% | ~20.5% after credits |
| $57,375 – $114,750 | 20.5% | 10% | ~26% after credits |
| Over $114,750 | 26% | 10% | ~31%+ |
The Remittance Problem Nobody Tells You About
Deducting is only half the battle. You also need to remit all these deductions (plus your employer contributions) to the CRA — usually monthly for small businesses.
Fail to remit on time and the CRA charges penalties of 3–10% plus interest. This is where many small business owners get burned — they collect the deductions but forget to send them to the CRA.
The Scheduling → Payroll Connection Most Apps Miss
Here's the problem with most scheduling software: they end at the schedule. You export a CSV, import it into a payroll tool, recalculate everything, and then do your remittances manually. For a 10-person café, this takes hours every two weeks.
ShiftMaster connects scheduling directly to payroll calculation. When you finalize a schedule, the system already knows:
- Each employee's hours worked
- Their hourly rate
- Their YTD earnings (to track CPP/EI maximums)
- The correct CPP, EI, and Alberta income tax to withhold
- Your total CRA remittance owing
You review, click Finalize, and the numbers are done. No separate payroll software required for small teams.
Stop doing payroll math manually
ShiftMaster calculates CPP, EI, and Alberta income tax automatically — built specifically for Canadian small businesses.
Start Free Today →Quick Reference: Payroll Checklist for Each Pay Period
- Calculate gross pay (hours × rate) for each employee
- Deduct employee CPP (5.95% above exemption threshold)
- Deduct employee EI (1.64% up to maximum insurable earnings)
- Deduct federal + Alberta income tax (using CRA tables or software)
- Calculate your employer's share of CPP (matching) and EI (1.4×)
- Pay employees their net amount
- Remit total deductions + employer contributions to CRA (by the 15th of the following month for most businesses)