Understanding your paycheque shouldn’t feel confusing or “for payroll experts only.” This guide breaks down how Canadian pay is calculated, what gross pay, deductions, and net pay really mean, and why your take-home pay can change even when your hours don’t. It also explains how provincial rules (including Quebec’s different system) affect overtime, vacation pay, and deductions. Most importantly, it highlights why payroll transparency matters and how tools like PayChequer make it easier to view pay history, understand deductions, and feel confident your pay is accurate.

Chequer by PayEvo is transforming how Canadian teams manage time, tasks, and finances. With features like TimeTracker for accurate hours, Workflow automation for requests and approvals, and mobile access to payslips and tax forms, Chequer empowers both employers and employees. Built with security, compliance, and flexibility in mind, it’s more than an app—it’s a movement towards financial empowerment and operational efficiency.

Overtime rules vary across Canada, so employers need to know their province’s daily and weekly thresholds to stay compliant and avoid employee claims or fines. Most provinces require overtime pay (typically time-and-a-half) once employees exceed set hours, with British Columbia also requiring double time after 12 hours in a day. PaymentEvolution makes overtime easier by letting employers select “Overtime Pay” during payroll and enter overtime hours, then automatically calculating pay at 1.5x the regular rate.

PaymentEvolution launched on April 13, 2010 to simplify payroll for Canadian small businesses as the country’s first true cloud payroll service. Since then, it introduced PayChequer for employee self-serve pay access, ePay for affordable direct deposit, and integrations with tools like QuickBooks, Xero, and Kashoo to improve cash flow visibility. By 2014, over 7,000 businesses were using the platform, leading to the launch of Business Payments and later expanded access to health and dental benefits for freelancers and contractors. Today, PaymentEvolution supports over 12,000 companies and continues building simpler payroll, payments, and benefits tools.