Travel Expenses

Business Travel Expenses: What Canadian Companies Need to Know

Managing business travel expenses can be complex—but it doesn’t have to be. Twables simplifies how your company handles flights, hotels, transport, meals, and more, while keeping you compliant with Canadian tax laws and internal policies.

Whether your team travels occasionally or frequently, understanding how to define, track, and control these expenses is key to staying on budget and reducing friction.

What Are Business Travel Expenses?

Business travel expenses refer to the costs employees incur while traveling for work. These may include:

  • Flights and rail travel
  • Hotel accommodations
  • Ground transportation (e.g. taxis, rental cars, ride-shares)
  • Meals and daily per diems
  • Parking and tolls
  • Conference or event registration fees
  • Internet or mobile charges while traveling

In Canada, these expenses are generally tax-deductible if they are necessary for conducting business and properly documented.

Common Challenges in Managing Travel Expenses

Many companies struggle with:

  • Lack of centralized booking, leading to inconsistent costs
  • Missing or incomplete receipts
  • Out-of-policy spending
  • Time-consuming manual reconciliation
  • Unclear approval processes

These issues create administrative headaches and leave companies exposed to noncompliance or overspending.

How Twables Helps

Twables simplifies every aspect of managing travel expenses:

  • Centralized BookingsFlights, hotels, and transport can all be booked in one platform—aligned with your travel policy
  • Built-in Approval Flows Route approvals automatically based on cost, traveler role, or destination.
  • Real-Time Spend Tracking View expenses by team, department, or individual as they occur
  • CRA-Compliant ReceiptsDownload detailed invoices and receipts ready for tax reporting or reimbursement claims.
  • Unified InvoicingAll travel charges are grouped into a single monthly CAD invoice—no more paper trails.

Canadian Compliance Tips

To stay compliant with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), companies should:

  • Keep itemized receipts and documentation for all expenses
  • Ensure business purposes are clearly noted
  • Stay within reasonable limits for meals and per diems
  • Use a consistent policy for all employees
  • Track GST/HST where applicable

Twables helps automate much of this process, reducing the risk of errors or omissions.

Recommended Best Practices

  • Define a clear travel expense policy and make it accessible to all employees
  • Use one platform for all bookings and expense tracking
  • Set pre-approval rules for high-cost trips
  • Automate receipt collection and storage
  • Regularly review travel data to identify trends or savings opportunities

We don’t rely on chatbots. Real people, real help.

Conclusion

Business travel expenses don’t need to be a burden. With Twables, Canadian companies get full visibility, accurate reporting, and effortless compliance—all without the manual overhead.

Want to take the pain out of managing travel expenses?

Start using Twables today or book a demo to see how we can streamline your process.