The verdict in three sentences
A mining contractor paid on equipment availability loses money every time a shovel or haul truck drops below the contractual 85% threshold without being able to prove or anticipate it. Custom maintenance software, with offline capture on site and parts stock tracked across 3 warehouses, costs 100,000 to 190,000 CAD for a 4 to 6 month project (18 to 35 M FCFA for the same scope in West Africa). It usually pays for itself through avoided penalties (30,000 to 85,000 CAD a year) and fewer machines idle waiting for parts.
The real problem: proving availability to the mine owner
On a gold mine in northern Ontario or Quebec, the mine owner often calculates fleet availability from its own records. If the contractor only has paper sheets and a spreadsheet kept at head office, it cannot dispute an unfavourable calculation. Every point below 85% triggers a deduction on the monthly invoice.
The software must therefore record, machine by machine:
- engine hours read every shift (meter or telematics where available);
- downtime with cause: breakdown, preventive maintenance, waiting for parts, waiting for client, weather;
- the mechanic's work orders, with parts consumed and duration;
- mechanical availability calculated using the contract's exact formula.
| Indicator | With paper and Excel | With dedicated software |
|---|---|---|
| Time for head office to learn of a breakdown | 1 to 3 days | Under 2 hours (once synced) |
| Average fleet mechanical availability | 78 to 83% | 86 to 90% |
| Waiting-for-parts downtime | 25 to 35% of downtime hours | 10 to 15% |
| Preventive maintenance done on time | 50 to 60% | 85 to 95% |
| Billing disputes won | Rarely documented | Timestamped history per machine |
| Monthly invoice close time | 5 to 8 days | 1 to 2 days |
Project cost in 2026 in Toronto
The key technical point is offline mode. On remote mine sites, connectivity is intermittent: rugged tablets must store locally and sync whenever a connection (LTE, camp satellite) is available. Parts stock must handle transfers between the 3 site warehouses and the central store.
| Item | 2026 range (CAD) | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and fleet modelling | 8,000 to 16,000 | 85 machines, maintenance routines per model |
| Offline mobile app (mechanics, shift leads) | 30,000 to 55,000 | Sync, photos, signatures |
| Maintenance back office and work orders | 22,000 to 43,000 | Preventive plans by engine hours |
| Parts stock across 3 warehouses + central | 16,000 to 35,000 | Thresholds, transfers, reservations per WO |
| Availability calculation and client reports | 14,000 to 27,000 | Contract formula, monthly export |
| Training and rollout on 3 sites | 10,000 to 14,000 | Travel included |
| Project total | 100,000 to 190,000 | 4 to 6 months |
| Rugged tablets (15 units) | 24,000 to 40,000 | Outside the software project |
| Hosting and maintenance | 1,900 to 4,000 per month | Backups, updates |
International CMMS packages often charge 60 to 150 USD per user per month, without an availability calculation matched to the contract or true offline mode. For 40 users, that is roughly 115,000 to 290,000 CAD over 3 years, with customisation still to pay.
What makes the rollout succeed
Start with one pilot mine for 6 weeks, with lead mechanics involved from the mock-ups. Load the last 12 months of history for the 20 most critical machines to get realistic failure averages. Finally, have the mine owner validate the availability formula before go-live: that is what turns the software into an enforceable billing tool.
Mini case study
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Mark, technical director of a Toronto-based mining contractor, manages 85 machines; the main site's fleet of 12 haul trucks is billed at about 620,000 CAD a month. The contract applies a 1% deduction per availability point below 85%. In 2025, the fleet averaged 82.5%, i.e. 2.5 points of deduction over 7 months: 108,500 CAD lost. With the software, availability rises to 86% and two disputes are won thanks to the history: the annual gain is estimated at 65,000 CAD of avoided penalties, plus 32,000 CAD of better-distributed parts stock. For a 150,000 CAD project, payback comes in about 18 months, faster if all 3 mines are covered.
FAQ
Does the software work without network on the mine?
Yes, tablets store everything locally for several days. Sync happens whenever a connection is available, usually 2 to 4 times per shift.
Can machine telematics data be imported?
Yes, if machines have a unit (Caterpillar, Komatsu, Volvo), a connector costs 8,000 to 19,000 CAD. Without telematics, engine hours are entered by the shift lead.
How many users should we plan for?
For 85 machines on 3 mines, plan 30 to 45 users: mechanics, storekeepers, shift leads and management. Custom software is not billed per user.
Can the mine owner view the reports?
Yes, a read-only client portal costs 5,500 to 11,000 CAD. It sharply reduces month-end disputes.
How long for the first mine?
The pilot mine is live in 10 to 12 weeks. The other 2 sites follow in 6 to 8 weeks.
Let's scope your project. Share your fleet size, number of sites and availability formula: we price software at 100,000 to 190,000 CAD with a 4 to 6 month plan. Request your free quote. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
