A Canadian progress claim with holdback built in
The claim Canadian contractors actually submit: a schedule of values, what was claimed before, what is claimed now, percentage complete per line, statutory holdback retained, tax by province, and the amount due. Every formula is visible.
Excel / Google Sheets compatible · no sign-up required
Three steps to a working document
Set the schedule of values once
One row per item with its scheduled value, and claim against the same rows every period. A claim that reorganises its own line items between periods is a claim the reviewer has to reconcile by hand, which is how payment gets slow.
Claim this period, not cumulatively
Enter what was completed this period in its own column. The sheet adds it to what was claimed before, works out the percentage complete and the balance to finish, and carries the totals down.
Let the holdback and tax calculate
Holdback comes off the cumulative value, previous claims are netted at the same rate, and the difference is this period's net claim. Set the province and tax applies to that figure.
The holdback percentage, what it is calculated on, and when it may be released are set by your contract and by your province's construction or builders' lien legislation — not by this sheet. Ten percent is the common figure, not a rule, and release periods differ across the country. Holdback is normally calculated on the value of work excluding GST/HST; confirm the basis with your accountant. Many owners and lenders also require a statutory declaration confirming subcontractors and suppliers have been paid. This is a working sheet, not legal or tax advice.
When the spreadsheet stops scaling
In BuildersBridge progress invoices are raised against the job with the province's tax applied and holdback carried per project, so the running total and the amount still retained are visible rather than rebuilt each period.
See how it works in BuildersBridgeCommon questions
What is a progress claim?
The request a contractor submits to be paid for work completed in a billing period, supported by a schedule of values showing what was claimed before, what is claimed now, and what remains. In the United States the equivalent is usually called a pay application.
How is holdback calculated on a progress claim?
Normally as a percentage of the cumulative value of work completed, with previous claims netted at the same rate so the difference is this period's net entitlement. The percentage and the basis come from your contract and your province's legislation — the sheet defaults to 10% and lets you change it.
Is holdback calculated before or after tax?
Usually on the value of work excluding GST/HST, which is how this template computes it. Confirm with your accountant, because the treatment matters and it is the question most often got wrong.
What is a schedule of values?
The breakdown of the contract price into line items that progress is claimed against. Set it once at the start and claim against the same lines every period; changing it mid-contract makes every subsequent claim harder to approve.
Does this replace a statutory declaration?
No. Many owners and lenders require a separate statutory declaration confirming that subcontractors and suppliers have been paid before releasing funds. That is its own document.