A fractional CMO or COO costs $2,500 to $12,000 a month as a retainer, with no lock-in. Fixed-scope projects, such as an operating review or a scorecard setup, start at $3,500. Hourly consulting runs $175 to $350. All prices are in Canadian dollars, and Ontario companies add 13% HST. These follow the published rates 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 four ways to pay
Pick the format that matches how certain you are about what you need.
| Format | Price (CAD) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly consulting | $175–$350 per hour | a second opinion, a plan review, a hard decision |
| Project | $3,500–$25,000 per project | an operating review, a scorecard build, a written marketing plan |
| Monthly retainer | $2,500–$12,000 per month | an ongoing fractional CMO or COO seat |
| Growth Partner Program | Custom | performance-based work where results can be measured clearly |
Projects are paid in milestones. Retainers are billed monthly. The first 30-minute conversation is free in every case.
What sets the retainer figure
Three things drive the monthly number: hours, scope and complexity.
- Hours. How much of the seat you need each month. A company with one marketing vendor and one location needs fewer hours than one with several vendors across three regions.
- Scope. Whether the seat is purely management (plans, briefs, meetings, reports) or also includes some hands-on execution.
- Complexity. Number of locations, Ontario regions served, team leads involved and how clean your current numbers are. Messy data costs hours in the first quarter.
We put all three in writing before starting, along with the outputs you should expect each month. If the hours change, the retainer changes, and you see why.
A worked comparison with a full-time hire
Compare the retainer with the full cost of a full-time executive, not just the salary. Use your own numbers here; ours are placeholders.
Suppose a full-time operations manager would cost you a salary of $S, plus benefits, payroll costs, recruitment fees, equipment and the months it takes to find and onboard the right person. Call the all-in first-year figure $T. Ask your accountant or payroll provider for a realistic $T in your situation.
Now compare:
- Fractional: a retainer of, say, $6,000 a month is $72,000 a year, can start within weeks and can be reduced or stopped with notice.
- Full-time: $T a year, a longer start, and a bigger commitment if the fit is wrong.
For many companies with 10 to 50 staff, the fractional seat often costs less than $T and gets the function organised. A common good outcome is that the seat builds the processes and scorecard, then helps you define what a full-time hire should own when the company is ready for one. The decision to hire, and the terms, stay with you and your advisers.
The Growth Partner Program
If you'd rather pay on results, the Growth Partner Program is a performance-based alternative. Ali invests time upfront and is paid on measurable results, under custom terms. Limited partnerships are available, and they only suit companies where the result can be clearly defined and tracked from day one, such as revenue from new customers in a defined market.
Our sister site Ontario.Partners explains how these arrangements are assessed and structured in Ontario.
How to choose
If you're unsure, start small and let the numbers decide the next step.
- Not sure what's wrong? Book a free first conversation, then an operating review as a fixed-price project.
- Know the problem, want to fix it yourself? A scorecard project or a few hourly sessions.
- Know which function is unmanaged? A fractional CMO or fractional COO retainer.
Terms that apply to everything
No lock-in, full ownership and written scope.
- Retainers are month to month.
- You own every document, dashboard, account and process we create.
- Scope, hours and outputs are written down before work starts and reviewed quarterly.
- Vendors you hire through a brief we write contract with you directly.
Questions about cost? Call, text or email from the contact page, or read the FAQ for the questions owners ask most often.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the retainer a range rather than a fixed price?
Because the hours and responsibilities differ a lot between a 15-person company with one marketing vendor and a 120-person company with several locations. We quote a specific monthly figure after the first conversation, in writing, before any work starts.
Is HST included?
No. Prices are in Canadian dollars, and Ontario clients add 13% HST. If your accountant has questions about how that applies to your company, they should advise you directly.
Can we pause the retainer during a slow season?
Retainers run month to month with no lock-in, so you can reduce or stop with notice. Many seasonal companies keep a smaller retainer through the quiet months so planning for the busy season starts on time.
What is the Growth Partner Program?
A performance-based arrangement where Ali invests time upfront and is paid on measurable results. Terms are custom, and limited partnerships are available. It only works where results can be measured clearly from the start.
Is the first conversation really free?
Yes. The initial 30-minute consultation is free and carries no obligation. Its purpose is to work out whether a seat, a project or nothing at all is the right answer.