Bankruptcy · Ontario

What You Pay for Bankruptcy in Ontario — Average Prices & Breakdown

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In Ontario, bankruptcy filing tends to run from $1,400 to $12,500 per job, with a mid-market job near $7,000.

Typical bankruptcy filing cost

$1,400 – $12,500

per job · typical $7,000

Low
$1,400
High
$12,500
Typical
$7,000
Unit
per job

A planning estimate, not a quote.

It pays to shop around in Ontario: the same job can be quoted hundreds of dollars apart depending on the city and the season.

8 city-level ranges across Ontario.

Bankruptcy filing cost breakdown

Typical bankruptcy filing prices in Ontario. Overall range $1,400 – $12,500 per job.
ScopeLowHighTypicalUnit
Standard matter$1,400$12,500$7,000per job
Uncontested or flat-fee matter$450$6,500$3,500per job
Hourly-rate engagement$1,200$13,500$7,400per job
Court, filing and service fees$85.00$2,000$1,000per job
Contested or trial-bound matter$2,200$28,000$15,000per job

Bankruptcy filing cost guide

What bankruptcy covers

When you price bankruptcy filing, you are really pricing the lawyer's time, court or filing charges and disbursements. Ask each provider to itemise those pieces so the quotes line up.

Because two providers can describe the same bankruptcy filing in different ways, ask each one to break the total into the same line items before you compare them.

Choosing a lawyer for bankruptcy

Ask whether a licence or registration is required for this kind of work, confirm it with the regulator, and request proof of insurance before work starts.

Ask for two recent local jobs you can call, and read the written scope for what it leaves out as carefully as what it includes.

The things that move a bankruptcy price

Whether the matter is disputed, the lawyer's hourly rate, court and filing charges, and how long the case runs.

Where you are matters too: outlying areas add travel, and dense cities add access and permit overhead.

Ways to keep bankruptcy costs down

Collect two or three written quotes and compare them line by line instead of on the bottom line, then ask what the price would be for payment in full.

When the work can be scheduled, moving it out of the busiest season usually lowers the bill. Ask whether a bundle or off-peak rate exists.

By city in Ontario

Related cost guides

Frequently asked questions

What should I budget for bankruptcy?
Plan around $7,000 for a typical bankruptcy filing, with most cases landing between $1,400 and $12,500 (per job). Those are planning figures rather than a quotation.
Which parts of a bankruptcy bill move the most?
Whether the matter is disputed, the lawyer's hourly rate, court and filing charges, and how long the case runs. That is why the same job can produce two very different totals.
What is the smartest way to lower bankruptcy costs?
Line up two or three written quotes, compare the line items rather than the totals, ask about a paid-in-full discount, and schedule outside the busiest period when you can.
What should I verify before hiring a lawyer?
Confirm any required licence or registration with the regulator, ask for current insurance, and speak to two recent local customers. Then read the quote for the exclusions.