Have you heard about the new federal home retrofit program for Canadians? If you’re a home business owner planning to do some renovations in the foreseeable future, read on. Even if you’re just an...

If you own a small business, you know that it can be challenging to get everything you’ll need to start, or continue, through an unsteady economy. For that reason, learning the ins and outs of small...

Meagan Layton and Whitney Smith are the co-owners of Covet Sips & Sweets — a cookie and specialty drink drive-thru (coming soon!) that has evolved from their original Covet Cookies concept. The pair...

Small business owners are often guilty of pouring everything they have into their ventures — can you relate? From the sweat of your brow to dipping into your personal bank account, you’re willing to...

As a small business owner, mistakes happen – that’s life. We’re here to help you understand why they happen and how you can avoid the common ones, at least when it comes to bookkeeping.

A bookkeeper, an accountant and a CPA walk into a bar — wait, what’s the difference? The terms “CPA,” “accountant” and “bookkeeper” are often used interchangeably and often all three are just...

Wondering what's new with your 2020 personal taxes? From T slips to working from home, we’ll walk you through some changes you should know about this year. We’ll also cover various deductions: how to...

Ah, tax season. The most wonderful season of all — at least for us accountants, anyway. For the average person, it’s a frustrating time of sifting through expenses, forms, and to make things worse,...

If you’re like most of us, you’ve been spending a lot of time in your home office lately. Whether you have a makeshift setup at your dining table or dedicated space with a fancy standing desk, there...

Here’s what I learned from creating one for my business. 

We’ve always been fans of Xero’s accounting software. On November 9, they’re launching a new starter plan that’s tailor-made for consultants, freelancers and small businesses. At just $15 CAD/month,...

Nobody likes the idea of an audit — we’re here to demystify the process for you. This post will shed light on why you might get audited, what will happen if you’re audited and, if the CRA decides you...

This is an excerpt of our On Tap interview with Jay Baydala on September 24, 2020. Questions and responses have been edited for length and clarity. Thank you to Village Brewery for being this month’s...

Setting up your business and individual Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) accounts is not only important, it makes your tax life a lot easier. If you run a business, you’ll need both business and personal...

Cybersecurity is a big topic, and many small business owners might be surprised to know that your own people are your biggest security threat. Today’s hackers try to lure people into giving secure...

Mel McKay is a freelance ad writer, instructor at AUArts and the founder of Camp Hoo-Ha, a social and skill building club that now spans 12 cities in 3 provinces. The Hoo-Ha journey started in 2017...

Have grand plans for a start-up? Before you quit your job and throw all your energy into starting a business, you should establish a vision of where you want your business to go and how you’re going...

Tyler Chisholm is the CEO of clearmotive marketing, and is obsessed with helping businesses connect with their customers in more meaningful ways. I love picking his brain on how we can gain a better...

If you've received money from any of the government relief programs, expect to be asked to prove your eligibility. We outline what the government will ask you for, how to be prepared and what to do...

Since the COVID-19 outbreak hit in Alberta, we have had to quickly adjust, like so many businesses. We temporarily closed our offices and pivoted to phone calls and online meetings, webinars and...

As your small business guide, we’re here to help you navigate through this tough time. We have all been hugely affected by COVID-19 and for small business owners, there are many questions around the...

We work with a lot of small businesses run by couples who are familiar with the terrain of working and living together 24/7. As we settle into the new reality of self-isolation, most of us are now...

As we dive into tax season, we want to give you an update on what’s new and different this year. 

The biggest change this year is a new tax credit called the Climate Action Incentive. We've got the...

As a small business owner, healthcare may be a big question mark for you. A traditional health insurance plan can be expensive. But your kid needs braces, and you have a couple of prescriptions. You...

Just as a personal trainer helps you reach your fitness goals, a business coach can help you reach your business goals. A business coach will help you clarify your vision, set the right goals and...

With the new year on the horizon, you’re probably thinking about setting your goals for the year ahead. Establishing a few key performance indicators (aka KPIs) will give you clarity into your...

For the holidays, we’ve got a roundup of our favourite business books for the business owner in your life. These are 22 books that I have relied during my journey in business. I highly recommend each...

Being an effective leader requires self-awareness. It also helps to recognize the behavioural tendancies and personalities of those you work with.

As the owner of a growing small business in Canada, there are just a few things you need to take care of on the legal side to ensure you keep yourself protected. Too often, small business owners...

Small business owners have especially complicated financial situations; you want to be sure your loved ones are taken care of if something were to happen to you. A bit of work with your CPA, lawyer,...

We know that working with an accountant is an investment. We want our small business clients to get the most value possible from us. That means doing the obvious things: getting everyone’s taxes done...

We’ve all got back to school on our mind. Getting back to brainy endeavours isn’t just for the little ones - there are tons of opportunities for small business owners to level up their leadership,...

When you start your own business, you realize how great it was to have taxes magically lifted away from your paycheque. Now, rather than doing your taxes once a year, you’ll have to make tax...

Nobody wants to go into bankruptcy, but it happens. The good news is that bankruptcy may not be as bad as you think, and it can be an opportunity to reset and learn. Here’s a clear-eyed look at how...

If you’re a small business owner, you may have heard of ATBX, an accelerator program for businesses that want to grow. The free (!) program offers weekly workshops, mentorship, co-working space and a...

We often hear from small business owners that they wish they heard from their accountants throughout the year. This year, we invite you to make a meeting with us for a mid-year small business...

This post comes from our Marketing Director, Erica O’Donnell, who has worked in the digital marketing world for nearly 15 years.

A friend was recently offered a contract position with an oil and gas company, but there was a catch: he needed to form a corporation and get a GST number before he could start working. If you work...