Scale Your Business: There’s a Shortage of Tax Accountants

Evelyn Jacks

It’s time to scale up in the tax preparation and accounting industry. The industry currently engages close to 65,000 independent professionals who participates in helping over 60% of total tax filers.  CRA itself engaged close to 60,000 employees to interact with taxpayers.  But with the retirement of experienced accounting professionals on the horizon, increasing burnout from high demand work in short timeframes, the writing is on the wall:  an acute shortage of qualified people is unfolding in the tax and accountancy services, and this has implications for our economy and financial stability. Consider the following statistics, and then, make a great investment in the DMA - Tax Services Specialist designation program to scale up your practice to meet a growing demand.

What is the market for self-employment in the accounting and tax preparation industry?  Here are some recent statistics from Canada’s Labor Force Survey; representing self employment in Canada.  There are 64,000 independents in the industry but there is a looming shortage.  Despite  technological advancements and digitization which can help – when it works, that is – it is estimated that in Manitoba alone there is a need for between 185 to 221 new accountants now.

Check out Knowledge Bureau’s comprehensive training programs to help upskill yourself, your employees or future subcontractors in your growing practice.  The post-tax season is the best time to get ready for what will be another busy tax season, 2026, just around the corner!

Check out the curriculum in the Distinguished Master Advisor (DMA) Specialist Programs:

DMA- Personal Tax Services Specialist

 Course Curriculum:

• Professional Income Tax Filing - Level 1
• Professional Income Tax Filing - Level 2
• Filing Proprietorship Returns
• Filing Returns at Death
• Filing T3 Returns
• Retirement Income Planning

DMA Corporate Tax Services Specialist

• Corporate Tax Filing Fundamentals
• Tax Planning for Corporate Owner-Managers
• Tax Planning for Incorporated Professionals
• Investment Tax Strategies
• Succession Planning for Owner-Managers
• Cross Border Taxation

DMA Accounting Services Specialist

• Bookkeeping in a Digital World
• Accounting for Multiple Business Profiles
• Advanced Payroll for Small Business
• Budgeting and Forecasting for Small Business
• Understanding Business Valuation
• Accounting for Business Growth & Transition

DMA Small Business Services Specialist

• Leading Teams
• Building Business Plans
• Scaling Business Operations
• Understanding Contracts
• Privacy Principles
• Succession Planning