Getting started
What is LoonieLedgr?
LoonieLedgr is bookkeeping built specifically for Canadian content creators. It takes the income you earn from platforms like YouTube, Patreon, TikTok, and brand deals, and classifies each dollar correctly for Canadian tax — so you know what's zero-rated, what's taxable, what GST/HST you owe, and whether you need to file a T1135. Most bookkeeping tools were built for cafés and consultants; this one understands AdSense.
Who is it for?
Canadian-resident creators earning income online — whether you're a sole proprietor just crossing into real money, or incorporated and managing six figures across platforms. If your income comes from foreign platforms paying you for a Canadian-based audience or service, the tax treatment is genuinely tricky, and that's exactly what LoonieLedgr is built to get right.
Do I need to be a tax expert to use it?
No. The whole point is that the tax logic is built in. You connect or upload your income, and LoonieLedgr applies the correct classification with a plain-English explanation and the actual CRA citation behind each decision. When something genuinely needs a judgment call, it flags it for review rather than guessing.
Tax classification
How does LoonieLedgr know how to classify my income?
Each income source runs through a classification engine built around Canadian tax law. For example, YouTube AdSense revenue is treated as a zero-rated export of services under the Excise Tax Act (Schedule VI, Part V, section 7), because you're supplying a service to a non-resident (Google). The engine applies these rules consistently and shows you the citation, so the classification is auditable — not a black box.
What if a classification looks wrong?
Anything the engine isn't confident about — typically mixed-geography income like Patreon, where the answer depends on where your supporters live — gets flagged "needs review" rather than silently classified. You make the call, and the reasoning is recorded. You're always in control of the final treatment.
GST/HST
Do I need to charge GST/HST on my creator income?
It depends on the source. Income from non-resident platforms (like YouTube AdSense) is generally zero-rated — you charge 0% but can still claim input tax credits on your business expenses. Income from Canadian customers (a Canadian brand sponsorship, say) is generally taxable and you may need to collect GST or HST. LoonieLedgr separates these automatically so your return reflects the right amounts. This is general information, not tax advice for your specific situation.
When do I have to register for GST/HST?
Generally once your worldwide taxable supplies exceed $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters, you're no longer a "small supplier" and must register. Zero-rated supplies count toward that threshold even though you charge 0% on them — a detail that catches a lot of creators off guard. LoonieLedgr tracks your running total so you see the threshold coming.
What are input tax credits (ITCs)?
ITCs let you recover the GST/HST you paid on business expenses (gear, software, home office). Even when your income is zero-rated, you can typically still claim ITCs — which often means a refund. LoonieLedgr tracks the GST/HST on your expenses so these don't get left on the table.
Foreign income & T1135
What is a T1135 and do I need to file one?
The T1135 (Foreign Income Verification Statement) is required if you hold specified foreign property with a total cost exceeding $100,000 CAD at any point in the year. For creators, balances sitting in foreign platform accounts (an unwithdrawn AdSense balance, a Patreon balance) can count. LoonieLedgr tracks your foreign property total and alerts you the moment you approach or cross the threshold.
Is the $100,000 my income?
No — and this trips people up. The threshold is about the cost of foreign property you hold (like balances held abroad) at its highest point in the year, not your annual income. You can earn well under $100,000 and still cross the T1135 threshold, or earn over it and not cross. LoonieLedgr tracks the right number.
How are foreign-currency amounts converted?
Amounts are converted to Canadian dollars using Bank of Canada exchange rates, following CRA guidance on which rate to use (generally the rate on the transaction date, or an average where permitted). The conversion is applied consistently and shown alongside the original amount.
Which platforms does LoonieLedgr support?
The classification engine handles income from YouTube/AdSense, Patreon, TikTok, Twitch, Substack, Ko-fi, Gumroad, Stripe, and brand deals, among others. Some platforms support direct connection; others you import via CSV export. Either way, the same tax logic applies.
How does importing work?
You export a CSV from your platform (most provide one — YouTube Studio and AdSense both do), then upload it. LoonieLedgr maps the columns, classifies each row, and adds them to your books. Importantly, it only imports income dated from your signup forward — your historical pre-signup data isn't pulled in unless you specifically opt into a historical catch-up.
Why doesn't it import my old transactions automatically?
By design. LoonieLedgr handles your books from the date you sign up onward — that's the engagement. Pulling in years of prior history is a separate, deliberate choice (our historical catch-up service), so you're never surprised by data you didn't ask us to take on.
Your data
Where is my data stored?
Your data is stored securely with row-level security, so your records are only ever accessible to you. For specifics on collection, retention, and your rights under PIPEDA and Quebec's Law 25, see our Privacy Policy and Security page.
Can I export or delete everything?
Yes. You can export your data, and you can request full deletion at any time by emailing privacy@loonieledgr.ca.
Billing
How does pricing work?
Plans are tiered by where you are as a creator — see the Pricing page for current tiers. Your plan sets your features; your coverage runs from signup for as long as you're subscribed.
What's the historical catch-up?
If you want LoonieLedgr to handle bookkeeping for periods before you signed up, that's a one-time catch-up service priced by scope. It's the only way prior-period data enters your books — a deliberate, opt-in choice so the default stays clean.
Still have a question? Email hello@loonieledgr.ca and a real person (often the founder) will answer. Nothing here is tax advice for your specific situation — for that, talk to a CPA who knows your full picture.