What AI consulting and training cost in Canada

Many businesses already pay for an AI tool through Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. People usually forget the staff-time part. This page explains all three, so you can compare any quote, including ours.

How AI consultants and trainers usually charge

There are no standard rates in this market. Prices vary widely, and many firms don't publish them. Compare structures, not just numbers:

Ask any provider: What exactly do I receive? What isn't included? What happens if we need more? Who owns the documents?

What drives the price

• Headcount and number of teams. More people to interview and more workflows to sequence.
• Format. A public seat costs less than a private day built around your work.
• Written deliverables. A plan, a policy and a findings list take time to write well.
• Technical work. Account and data settings, connectors and integrations. Custom software costs the most and keeps costing money to maintain.
• Travel. In-person sessions outside the provider's home area.

What the AI tools cost

Start with what you already pay for. Prices below were checked on October 7, 2026 , are before tax and change often. Check the vendor's page before you budget.

A common, avoidable cost is paying for two tools that do the same job. For example, full Copilot licences for people who only use Copilot Chat, plus a few ChatGPT seats on top. Before buying, find out who actually uses what. Our tool sprawl guide shows how.

The cost people forget: staff time

Training is time away from billable or customer work. Ten people in a three-hour session is 30 hours of salary, before anyone has saved anything. It's worth it if the session is built around real tasks and followed up. It's wasted if people go back to their desks with nothing to practise.

Count review time too. If an AI draft takes ten minutes to write and twenty to check, measure the whole task, not just the drafting.

A next stepGet a straight answer for your team in a free 30-minute call, see every price, or get the free AI guide (PDF).

Hero's posted prices

Hero posts its prices in Canadian dollars, before tax, and they're the same across Canada. Training prices are starting prices, from C$50 per person for a public workshop seat online. Assessments start from C$1,500, and consulting or security work after the assessment is quoted after the assessment. The Fit Call is free. The full list is on the pricing page.

Not included in any Hero price: tool licences (you pay vendors directly, under your own accounts), standalone custom software (Hero doesn't build it; connecting AI to the tools you already use is quoted per project), and legal advice.

Worked examples (illustrative, arithmetic only)

These are example budgets using Hero's current starting prices, so real quotes can be higher. They aren't client results, and tax is extra.

• A 12-person office that already has Microsoft 365. Half-day team training (from C$2,500) on Copilot Chat, which is already included. From C$2,500 plus tax, and no new licences.
• A 15-person firm where staff use personal AI accounts. AI security assessment (from C$1,500), then a policy and secure setup (quoted after the assessment), then a half-day team session (from C$2,500). From C$4,000 plus tax, plus the policy quote, and possibly business licences if you don't have an approved tool yet.
• A 45-person company unsure where AI fits. AI Readiness Assessment (from C$1,500; the price for a team this size is confirmed before you pay), then a full-day team training on the plan's first workflow (price confirmed on the Fit Call). More than C$4,000 plus tax; both prices are confirmed before you pay.
• One manager who wants to learn first. A public workshop seat (from C$50 online) or 1:1 AI training (from C$295 per 90-minute online session).

Taxes, payment and funding

• Tax. Sales tax is added based on where the service is supplied: GST or HST, plus QST for Quebec clients where it applies.
• Payment. No card is charged on the website. Paid bookings are confirmed by email with an invoice or payment link. See the refunds page.
• Grants. Hero's training isn't eligible for Ontario's employer training grant program today, so don't budget on a grant for Hero sessions. If you plan to use a grant with another provider, check the program's rules before you book. Approval usually has to come before the training starts.

Questions to ask any quote, including ours

1. What exactly is the deliverable, and can I see a sample outline?
2. Is the price fixed? What would make it change?
3. What isn't included (licences, travel, follow-up, setup)?
4. Who owns the documents you receive?
5. Will we be able to carry on without you?
6. Are you paid by any software vendor you might recommend?

Sources checked (October 7, 2026): Microsoft, Microsoft 365 Copilot plans and pricing (business and enterprise pages, US) and Microsoft Learn, Copilot Business FAQ · Google Workspace, Pricing (Canada) · OpenAI Help Center, ChatGPT Business FAQ · ontario.ca, employer training grant rules (updated August 31, 2026).