An accounting firm's year is built around deadlines, and most of its paper moves in a few intense weeks: client slips arrive, engagement letters and authorization forms need signatures, and filings must go out on time. A courier cannot file a return, but it can make sure that the physical documents around the return are where they need to be, when they need to be there, with a record of who handled them. This guide maps the year and shows where a courier fits.
Why Paper Still Moves in an Electronic Filing World
Electronic filing has replaced much of the paper, but not all of it. Clients still bring in shoeboxes of receipts, business owners sign mandates and authorization forms in ink, corporate minute books and share certificates exist on paper, and some institutions still require originals. Firms also move cheques, signed bank letters, and prior-year files between offices and storage. A courier fills the gap between the client's desk and the firm's workflow when waiting for the mail is too slow or too uncertain.
A Calendar of the Busiest Weeks
Dates change with the calendar, and a deadline that falls on a weekend usually moves to the next business day, so confirm the current year's dates with the Canada Revenue Agency and Revenu Québec. The typical pattern looks like this:
| Period | What drives the volume | Where a courier helps |
|---|---|---|
| January | Year-end close, preparing employer and investment slips | Pickup of year-end records, delivery of draft slips for approval |
| End of February | Employer slips such as the T4 and the RL-1 are generally due by the last day of February | Delivering signed slips and reviewed packages between the client and the firm |
| March | Clients send slips, receipts, and organizers to the firm | Scheduled client pickups and returns, and replacement copies of missing slips |
| April | Personal returns and any balance owing are generally due April 30 | Same-day signature runs, cheques, and last-hour deliveries |
| June | Self-employed individuals generally have until mid-June to file, though payment of any balance still falls due April 30 | Late-filing support and follow-up documents |
Treat these as a planning guide. Your firm's own file calendar, and the rules for your clients' situations, are what you should rely on.
Five Jobs a Courier Does for an Accounting Firm
- Client document pickup. A driver collects the client's slips and receipts and returns them with the firm's receipt record.
- Signature runs. A package goes to the client for signing, comes back signed, and is checked for completeness on delivery.
- Cheque and payment delivery. Time-sensitive payments move with signed handoffs.
- Inter-office transfers. Files move between a firm's offices, storage, or partner firms.
- Notices and correspondence. Official letters and responses that need proof of delivery go with a signature.
Confidentiality Is the Whole Point
Tax files contain social insurance numbers, income details, and banking information. That makes a lost envelope more than an inconvenience. Practical safeguards include:
- Sealed envelopes or tamper-evident bags, with a reference number on the outside and the client name on a cover sheet inside.
- A named recipient and signature on delivery, not a drop at the reception desk.
- A written record of each handoff: who gave it, who took it, and when. See how chain of custody works.
- A firm policy for what leaves the office in paper and what is shared through a secure portal.
- Instructions to the driver about what to do if no one is available at the address: return to the sender, rather than leave it.
Our secure document delivery overview explains how those controls fit together.
How to Set Up a Tax-Season Arrangement
The firms that cope best with March and April agree on a plan in January. Decide which clients get scheduled pickups, which get on-demand service, and what the cut-off is for same-day work. Give the courier a list of authorized recipients, the addresses of your offices, and a contact who can answer questions. Ask how dispatch handles peaks, and if you want standing service for the whole season, ask about a dedicated courier arrangement.
For the cost side, see our guide on what affects courier pricing. For first-time clients, our packing checklist is worth sharing so that documents arrive in a consistent form.
Frequently Asked Questions
What documents do accounting firms send by courier?
Client slips and receipts, signed engagement letters and authorization forms, cheques, corporate records, and files moving between offices or storage. The common thread is paper that is confidential, time-sensitive, or both.
When is the busiest courier period for accountants in Québec?
Typically from late February, when employer slips are generally due, through April 30, the general filing and payment date for individuals. Confirm each year's dates with the Canada Revenue Agency and Revenu Québec.
Can a courier deliver documents that contain personal tax information?
Yes, with safeguards: sealed packaging, a named recipient, signature on delivery, and a record of each handoff. Many firms also limit what travels on paper by using a secure portal for the rest.
Can I book standing pickups for the whole tax season?
Yes. Many firms set scheduled pickups on fixed days during the peak weeks and add on-demand runs for last-minute needs. Agree on cut-off times with your courier in advance.
What happens if the client is not home?
Agree on instructions beforehand. For confidential files, the usual rule is that the driver does not leave the package unattended and returns it to the firm or reschedules.
Spend Your Peak Weeks on Returns, Not Errands
The point of a courier arrangement for an accounting firm is to take errands off the desk during the weeks when every hour counts. Agree on the plan before the season starts, protect confidential files with a clear process, and keep a record of every handoff.
Rush Expedited Courier supports firms across Montréal and the surrounding area from Dorval. Tell us how your busiest weeks look through the quote form, and we will outline a schedule. You can also explore our legal courier service, which applies the same document discipline.
See also: Québec's Law 25 and courier delivery.