Tanya's Bookkeepers Bootcamp

09/07/2026

I’m pretty honoured to be part of the judging panel for the Small & Mighty Awards at WorkflowCon 2026. ❤️

And I really love what these awards are recognizing.

So much of the incredible work happening in accounting and bookkeeping doesn’t come from the biggest firms, the biggest teams, or the people with the loudest voices.

It comes from professionals quietly doing really damn good work.
The ones building better systems. Mentoring others. Serving communities that are often overlooked. Sharing what they know.

Finding smarter ways to run their firms. And making a genuine difference for their clients and our profession.

Apparently, size isn’t everything. Who knew? 😉

There are four award categories:
🎤 Rising Voice – emerging professionals already making an impact
🌎 Underserved Market Champion – professionals intentionally serving overlooked communities and markets
🤝 Community Builder – mentors, advocates and educators helping lift the profession
⚙️ Efficiency Engineer – practitioners who have meaningfully improved how their firms operate

I’ll be joining Keila Hill-Trawick, CPA and Richard Roppa-Roberts on the independent judging panel, and I’m genuinely honoured to have been asked.

Now comes your part.

You already know someone who deserves to be recognized. And yes, you can nominate yourself too. Self-nominations and peer nominations are judged exactly the same.

Nominations are open to accounting, bookkeeping, tax and advisory professionals in Canada and the United States, regardless of firm size, and you do not need to be a Financial Cents customer.
📅 Nominations close October 10, 2026.

Take the ten minutes and nominate someone whose work deserves to be seen.

👉 https://hubs.li/Q04wjYbM0

09/07/2026

📊 Economic Update | Information Only | Canada

The Ontario government has announced more than $17.3 million in funding for four forestry projects aimed at modernizing manufacturing, improving productivity and strengthening forestry supply chains in Northern Ontario.

The investments are being made through the Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program and Forest Biomass Program, with a focus on using more mill by-products and underused wood, known as forest biomass. According to the province, the projects will create six jobs, protect more than 320 existing positions and support over 600 indirect jobs.

Key developments include:
✅ More than $9.6 million for Interfor to modernize its Elk Lake sawmill with a biomass-powered energy system, increasing production by 27%, reducing natural gas use by 80% and lowering annual operating costs by nearly $3 million
✅ More than $5.9 million for GreenFirst Forest Products for a new production line expected to increase productivity by 24%
✅ More than $1.6 million for GreenFirst to plan a biofuel facility, with long-term potential for 30 direct and 70 indirect jobs
✅ More than $180,000 for Atlantic Power to upgrade the Calstock Power Plant's control system and maintain bioenergy generation
✅ Potential new annual demand for more than 500,000 tonnes of forest biomass, creating additional opportunities for harvesting, hauling and trucking
✅ The province says the broader forestry sector generates close to $21 billion in business revenue and supports approximately 155,000 jobs

Why does this matter?
Forestry remains an important part of Ontario's economy, particularly in Northern communities. These investments are intended to improve productivity, reduce operating costs, strengthen domestic supply chains and help forestry businesses respond to changing global markets and U.S. tariffs.

The increased use of forest biomass is also significant because it creates potential economic value from mill by-products and underused wood while supporting additional activity throughout the forestry supply chain.

This post is for informational purposes only and is intended to share economic and business developments that may be relevant to Canadian businesses and accounting professionals.

Source:

Ontario Investing Over $17 Million to Protect Forestry Jobs in the North | Ontario Newsroom

09/07/2026

📊 Economic Update | Information Only | Canada

General Motors Canada has announced approximately $1.4 billion in planned investments in its Oshawa and St. Catharines, Ontario facilities over the next three years, alongside newly ratified three-year collective agreements with Unifor.

🏭 Oshawa Assembly
GM is adding a new $144 million investment to bring next-generation GMC Sierra Heavy Duty production to Oshawa.

This builds on a previously announced $343 million investment in next-generation truck production and manufacturing improvements, bringing planned investment in the facility to nearly $500 million.

Oshawa will produce both GM's next-generation GMC Sierra HD and Chevrolet Silverado HD trucks.

⚙️ St. Catharines Propulsion
GM has announced a new $215 million investment to establish the St. Catharines facility as the sole source for a next-generation transmission, with production anticipated to begin in late 2029.

That investment is in addition to the previously announced $691 million commitment for sixth-generation V8 engine production, bringing planned investment in St. Catharines to more than $900 million.

👷 Employment & Labour
The newly ratified three-year collective agreements cover more than 4,600 Unifor members across GM facilities in Oshawa, St. Catharines, Woodstock and Ingersoll.

The agreements include wage and benefit increases as well as commitments related to Canadian production and investment.

🇨🇦 Why This Matters Economically
The investments maintain significant automotive manufacturing and skilled employment in Ontario during a period of considerable uncertainty for Canada's automotive sector and Canada-U.S. trade.

GM reports that it has invested approximately $3.3 billion in Canadian manufacturing and operations since 2020.

This announcement represents planned corporate investment. Previous investment commitments included in the $1.4 billion total have been identified above to distinguish them from newly announced funding.

Information only. This post is intended to share Canadian economic and business developments and is not political commentary or financial advice.

Sources: General Motors Canada | Unifor
August 30, 2026

09/04/2026

📊 Economic Update | Information Only | Canada

The federal government has announced the launch of Digital Transformation Canada, a new federal organisation focused on modernising how government services are developed and delivered. The goal is to make federal services faster, more secure, reliable, and easier for Canadians to access while reducing duplication and operating costs across government.

The initiative builds on Canada’s AI for All national artificial intelligence strategy and includes plans to use federal purchasing power to support Canadian digital and AI companies. Digital Transformation Canada will combine existing federal digital expertise and will be led by Patrick Pichette, former Chief Financial Officer of Google.

Key developments include:
✅ Launching Digital Transformation Canada to improve how the federal government develops, purchases, and uses technology
✅ Bringing together Shared Services Canada with selected functions from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and Employment and Social Development Canada, including the Canadian Digital Service
✅ Scaling shared digital solutions across government to reduce duplication and operating costs
✅ Expanding the use of emerging technologies, including AI, while strengthening digital sovereignty and security
✅ Providing public servants with more modern and secure technology to reduce administrative work and improve efficiency
✅ Using federal procurement strategically to give Canadian digital and AI companies opportunities to test, scale, and commercialise technologies
✅ Supporting Canadian technology companies in growing domestically and competing in global markets
✅ Creating a fellowship model that will bring specialised private-sector expertise into government for short-term assignments in areas including advanced AI
✅ Focusing those fellowships on knowledge transfer so the public service builds its own technical, commercial, procurement, and technology evaluation capabilities

Why does this matter?
Government is a major purchaser of technology, so changes to how federal departments buy and deploy digital solutions can have economic effects beyond government operations.

For Canadian technology and AI businesses, the government’s commitment to act as a strategic customer could create opportunities to test technologies, secure government contracts, build commercial experience, and scale within Canada before competing internationally.

For taxpayers and businesses interacting with federal programs, the intended outcome is less duplication, lower operating costs, improved digital services, and more efficient government administration.

There is also a longer-term economic component. The government is explicitly connecting digital transformation with Canadian AI capacity, domestic technology companies, productivity, security, and digital sovereignty. How effectively these initiatives are implemented will determine whether those intended benefits translate into measurable improvements and economic opportunities.

📌 Information only. This post summarizes the announced government initiative and its intended objectives and does not represent an endorsement or political position.

Source:

Canada must be more productive, competitive, and resilient to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Achieving that goal requires a government equipped with the tools and capabilities needed to deliver better results for Canadians – through services that are faster, more secure, and reliable.

09/04/2026

📊 Economic Update | Information Only | Canada

The federal government has announced an investment of more than $4.7 billion for VIA Rail to acquire and maintain 313 new passenger rail cars from Alstom Canada.
For the first time in four decades, VIA Rail passenger cars will be manufactured in Canada, with production taking place in Ontario and Québec.

The investment is part of the federal government's Buy Canadian approach and broader efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing, Canadian supply chains, and transportation infrastructure while reducing reliance on foreign production.

Key developments include:
✅ Investing more than $4.7 billion for VIA Rail to acquire and maintain 313 new passenger rail cars from Alstom Canada
✅ Manufacturing and assembling the new rail cars in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and La Pocatière, Québec, with design and engineering work taking place in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Québec
✅ Supporting nearly 700 jobs in Ontario and Québec and generating more than $1.6 billion in economic benefits
✅ Leveraging Alstom Canada's network of more than 900 Canadian suppliers and maximizing the use of Canadian steel in structural assemblies, supports, and fabricated metal components
✅ Replacing VIA Rail's aging long-distance, regional, and remote fleet, including equipment that is more than 70 years old
✅ Providing 313 new passenger cars, including dining cars, panorama cars, and sleepers, with modern amenities, improved accessibility, and enhanced reliability
✅ Serving eight long-distance, regional, and remote routes outside the Québec City-Windsor Corridor across eight provinces, including Indigenous, rural, and remote communities
✅ Building on the federal government's recent $1.95 billion investment in 45 new passenger locomotives and a new assembly and maintenance facility in Montréal
✅ Bringing total federal investment in renewing VIA Rail's long-distance, regional, and remote fleet to more than $6.6 billion

Why does this matter?
This is a significant investment in Canadian manufacturing and domestic supply chains. Beyond VIA Rail itself, more than 900 Canadian suppliers could be part of delivering the new fleet, creating potential economic activity across manufacturing, steel, engineering, transportation, and related industries.

For businesses, investments of this size can create opportunities well beyond the companies receiving the primary contracts. Large infrastructure projects can flow through supply chains to smaller manufacturers, service providers, contractors, and communities where the work takes place.

It also reflects a broader shift toward purchasing and producing more goods within Canada. For business owners, that's worth watching as Buy Canadian policies and major government procurement decisions may influence future supply-chain opportunities, investment, and demand.

Source: Prime Minister's Office, September 3, 2026

09/01/2026

📊 Economic Update | Information Only | Ontario, Canada

The Ontario government has announced an investment of nearly $1.9 million to strengthen the province’s nuclear supply chain and prepare workers and businesses for major nuclear projects planned across Ontario.

The two-year initiative will be led by the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI) and will focus on identifying workforce, manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain gaps as Ontario expands its nuclear energy infrastructure.

Key developments include:
✅ Investing nearly $1.9 million through the Ontario Labour Market Partnerships program
✅ Mapping Ontario’s nuclear supply chain, workforce capacity, and related industries
✅ Identifying future shortages in skilled labour, manufacturing, engineering, and supplier capacity
✅ Developing a roadmap to help more Ontario businesses participate in major nuclear projects and compete for domestic and international contracts
✅ Supporting workforce planning as Ontario advances nuclear projects at Darlington, Bruce, Wesleyville, and other locations
✅ Preparing for an expected increase in labour demand as more than 25% of the current nuclear workforce approaches retirement between 2030 and 2035
✅ Supporting a nuclear expansion expected to create or support up to 150,000 workers and generate more than $800 billion in additional GDP

Why does this matter?

Ontario’s nuclear expansion will require far more than engineers and nuclear specialists. Large-scale energy projects create demand for skilled trades, construction, manufacturing, transportation, professional services, technology, training, and hundreds of businesses throughout the supply chain.

Planning for workforce and supplier shortages now can help more Ontario companies prepare to compete for that work instead of relying on outside suppliers when major projects move forward.

For businesses in manufacturing, construction, engineering, skilled trades, technology, and related industries, this could mean significant opportunities over the coming years.

Major infrastructure investment creates opportunity, but businesses and workers need time to build the capacity to actually take advantage of it.

Source: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007969/ontario-investing-19-million-to-build-a-strong-nuclear-supply-chain-and-workforce



Ontario Investing $1.9 Million to Build a Strong Nuclear Supply Chain and Workforce | Ontario Newsroom
news.ontario.ca
Ontario Investing $1.9 Million to Build a Strong Nuclear Supply Chain and Workforce | Ontario Newsroom

Ontario Investing $1.9 Million to Build a Strong Nuclear Supply Chain and Workforce | Ontario Newsroom

08/27/2026

📊 Economic Update | Information Only | Canada

The federal government has announced an investment of more than $11 billion to build six new Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers at Chantier Davie Canada Inc. in Lévis, Québec. The contract is being described as the largest shipbuilding contract in Québec's history and is intended to strengthen Canada's domestic shipbuilding capacity, support trade routes, and expand Canadian industrial production.

All six vessels will be built in Canada using Canadian steel and other domestic materials, with construction expected to begin in 2027.

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞:
✅ Investing more than $11 billion to build six new Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers in Lévis, Québec
✅ Creating nearly 5,000 jobs during the construction phase
✅ Contributing approximately $650 million annually to Canada's GDP
✅ Using Canadian steel and other domestic materials under the government's Buy Canadian Policy
✅ Creating opportunities for Canadian manufacturers, suppliers, and small and medium-sized businesses throughout the shipbuilding supply chain
✅ Replacing aging Coast Guard vessels that help keep Atlantic Canada, the St. Lawrence, and Arctic waterways accessible for shipping
✅ Beginning construction in 2027, with the first vessel expected five years later and the full fleet planned to be operational by 2038

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫?
Canada relies heavily on trade, and keeping major waterways open is critical for moving Canadian goods to domestic and international markets. Icebreakers help maintain those shipping routes while also supporting search and rescue, environmental response, Northern resupply, and Arctic operations.

Economically, a shipbuilding contract of this size can create significant demand throughout the supply chain, from steel and manufacturing to engineering, technology, transportation, and professional services. It can also provide long-term opportunities for smaller Canadian businesses that supply products and services to major shipbuilding projects.

Major procurement projects like this can do more than replace aging equipment. They can build domestic industrial capacity, support thousands of jobs, and keep more of that investment circulating within the Canadian economy.

Source: https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2026/08/24/prime-minister-carney-announces-largest-shipbuilding-contract-quebecs

That is why the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, today announced the largest shipbuilding contract in Québec’s history.

08/27/2026

📊 Economic Update | Information Only

The Ontario government has announced an expansion of the Protect Ontario Financing Program (POFP) in response to new U.S. tariffs affecting a broader range of Canadian exports. The changes will make more Ontario businesses eligible for financing support as they manage tariff-related pressures on cash flow, operations, and employment.

The program provides loans to Ontario-based businesses facing working capital challenges caused by tariffs, including costs such as payroll, lease payments, and utilities.

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞:
✅ Expanding eligibility for the Protect Ontario Financing Program to businesses affected by newly introduced U.S. tariffs
✅ Providing access to a program offering up to $1 billion in loan financing for Ontario businesses facing tariff-related working capital pressures
✅ Continuing support for businesses affected by existing tariffs on steel, aluminum, copper, and automotive products
✅ Supporting businesses affected by new 50% U.S. tariffs on a broader range of Canadian goods
✅ Maintaining Ontario's broader $30 billion tariff relief and support plan aimed at protecting businesses, workers, and supply chains
✅ Continuing the $150 million Ontario Together Trade Fund, which has supported 89 companies representing nearly $1 billion in investment and more than 10,000 jobs created or protected
✅ Supporting businesses looking to diversify exports, strengthen domestic supply chains, and reduce reliance on the U.S. market

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫?
Tariffs can put pressure on businesses long before they show up as layoffs or closures. When export sales decline or costs rise, companies may face tighter margins and cash flow challenges that affect payroll, investment, production, and hiring.

Access to working capital can give businesses more time to adjust, find new customers, diversify markets, or restructure their supply chains rather than making immediate cuts.

For Ontario businesses that sell into the U.S. or supply companies that do, these programs may become increasingly important as trade uncertainty continues.

Economic resilience isn't just about finding new markets. Sometimes it's also about giving businesses enough breathing room to survive the disruption while they make that shift.

Source: https://news.ontario.ca/en/backgrounder/1007923/canadian-exports-eligible-for-support-through-the-protect-ontario-financing-program

Canadian Exports Eligible for Support Through the Protect Ontario Financing Program | Ontario Newsroom

08/27/2026

📊 Economic Update | Information Only

The Ontario government has announced an investment of more than $4.8 million through the Skills Development Fund to support workforce training in Simcoe and surrounding communities. The funding will support three projects designed to prepare approximately 400 workers and jobseekers for in-demand careers in skilled trades, agriculture, and long-term care.

The programs are focused particularly on people facing barriers to employment, including vulnerable jobseekers, women, underrepresented groups, and at-risk youth.

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞:
✅ Investing more than $4.8 million across three workforce training projects
✅ Providing $3.64 million to Blue Door Support Service to help 200 vulnerable, unemployed, and unhoused jobseekers prepare for careers in skilled trades, agriculture, and long-term care
✅ Investing $813,700 in Botree Inc. to train 125 women and people from underrepresented groups for careers in long-term care and frontline care
✅ Providing $417,000 to The Karma Project Community Food Co-Operative to help 75 at-risk youth gain hands-on training and mentorship for careers in agriculture
✅ Providing participants with practical skills training, work experience, mentorship, and employment supports
✅ Strengthening program oversight by tracking employment outcomes at three, six, and 12 months and introducing additional screening and transparency requirements
✅ Building on previous Skills Development Fund rounds that have supported more than 1,000 training projects across Ontario

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫?
Labour shortages affect businesses across many industries, particularly skilled trades, agriculture, health care, and other sectors where employers are already struggling to recruit workers.

Training programs that connect people directly with in-demand careers can help businesses access the workers they need while also creating opportunities for people who may face barriers entering the workforce.

For local economies, increasing workforce participation can support business growth, strengthen communities, and help employers build a more reliable pipeline of skilled workers.

Workforce development isn't just about filling today's vacancies. It's about making sure businesses have access to the skills and people they will need to grow tomorrow.

Source: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007932/ontario-investing-48-million-to-protect-and-train-workers-in-simcoe-and-surrounding-area

Ontario Investing $4.8 Million to Protect and Train Workers in Simcoe and Surrounding Area | Ontario Newsroom

08/22/2026

Whoops... I double-booked myself. 😅

And not in the “I accidentally booked two things I wanted to attend” kind of way.

I am actually speaking on two webinars at the exact same time.
So, unless AI has figured out how to clone me and put me in two Zoom rooms at once, Tanya’s Big UN Adventure Live needed a new date.

The new date is:
Thursday, September 3
12:00 PM Eastern / 9:00 AM Pacific

If you already registered, Zoom has sent you the updated date and time. Please make sure you accept or download the new calendar update.
There’s actually a nice upside to this little scheduling fail.

The webinar I was already committed to is with Dext and Financial Cents:
From AI Experimentation to Firm-Wide Adoption: What Accounting Firms Need to Get Right

That session will focus more specifically on how accounting firms move from experimenting with AI to actually using it responsibly across the firm.
Then, a week later, Richard Roppa Roberts and I will pick the conversation back up with Tanya’s Big UN Adventure Live, where we’ll go deeper into what I brought home from Geneva and what it means for accounting pros and the small businesses we serve.

So, yes, there is value in registering for both.

And if you can’t attend live, register anyway. Both webinars will be recorded and sent to everyone who registers.

Register for Tanya’s Big UN Adventure Live:
https://lnkd.in/e57GgNdB

Register for the Dext + Financial Cents webinar:
https://lnkd.in/eaP5ZWtv

Apparently AI can help with a lot of things. Being in two places at once still isn’t one of them. 😂

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn