It’s Almost Time for the Holidays

‘Tis the season, and as such the DJB offices will be closed starting Monday, December 25, 2023, and will reopen on Tuesday, January 2, 2024.

We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

Durward Jones Barkwell & Company LLP named as one of Hamilton-Niagara’s Top Employers for 2024!

DJB has been named one of Hamilton-Niagara’s Top Employers for 2024 by Mediacorp Canada Inc., organizers of the annual Canada’s Top 100 Employers project. This year’s regional winners were announced on November 23, 2023 in The Hamilton Spectator. We are honoured to have previously received this distinction in 2020, 2022, and 2023.

To be selected as a Top Employer, companies are compared to other organizations in their field to determine which offer the most progressive and employee-friendly programs.

“To have been bestowed with this distinction for the third year in a row acts as a humbling reminder that our efforts towards creating a rewarding and engaging work environment for aspiring professionals within the region have not gone unnoticed.  Our people collectively help us to shape the culture and programming available at DJB, through ongoing feedback and engagement at every level.”  Darryl Teutenberg, Firm Managing Partner.

To be selected as one of Hamilton-Niagara Top Employers, organizations are evaluated on:

  • Work Environment
  • Work Atmosphere & Communications
  • Health Benefits
  • Employee Engagement
  • Financial Benefits & Compensation
  • Family-Friendly Policies
  • Programs for Experienced Employees
  • Vacation Policy & Paid Days-Off
  • Community Involvement

The annual competition is open to any employer with its head office in the Hamilton-Niagara area, and employers of any size may apply, whether private or public sector.

Read the reasons for DJB’s selection as a top employer.

 


About DJB. 
DJB is one of the largest public accounting firms in the Niagara, Hamilton, and Halton regions with multiple locations offering accounting, assurance, and business advisory services to businesses located throughout Southern Ontario. The Firm was founded in 1940 and has built its reputation on the engagement and commitment we’ve made to the communities in which we work and live.

DJB is a member of the RSM Canada Alliance.  The alliance provides us with access to the resources of RSM Canada while still allowing us to maintain our independence and entrepreneurial spirit. Through the RSM Canada Alliance, we are continuing to build and enhance our Firm’s culture by leveraging the infrastructure and best practices of RSM Canada.

 

Welcome to National Financial Planning Week!

Created by the Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC) and the Institut Québécois de Planification Financiere (IQPF), Financial Planning Week is part of an ongoing effort to promote financial planning and its benefits to Canadians.  This year, Financial Planning Week takes place from November 19th to 25th.

Since its inception in 2009, we have participated annually in the campaign in an effort to continually promote the benefits of financial planning with a professional planner.

We believe that financial planning is much more than just budgeting and saving.  We believe it is the strategy and process of financial planning that sets you on course to achieve your life goals through the proper management of your financial affairs.

There are a number of Financial Planning articles on our website and we encourage you to take the time to review them.  We believe that these articles are timely, informative, and beneficial to ensuring your financial success.

Challenge yourself!  Read the below hand-picked articles on Financial Planning this week and let us know what you think.

MondayInflation, Interest Rates Will Have a Surprising Effect on Your Taxes Next Year

TuesdayFIRST HOME SAVINGS ACCOUNT (FHSA): A New Investment Tool

WednesdayCharitable Gifting of Securities

ThursdayPsychology of Selling Your Business

FridayThe Tax Free Savings Account

Fireside Chat with Our HR Advisors

Join DJB’s Human Resources Advisors for a 60-minute interactive fireside chat, exploring the topics of Compliance, AI, Employee Engagement, and Social Media in the workplace. These topics will include key considerations for your business as we head towards a new year.

Participants are encouraged to grab a warm drink and settle in by our cozy virtual fireside for an HR update!

A portion of our session will be dedicated to open Q&A, giving you the opportunity to fire away with any of your burning HR questions. While we invite you to bring your questions to the session, participants may also submit them in advance by emailing djbhr@djb.com.

 

DJB’S HR PANELISTS:

Christina Atkinson Christina Atkinson, Principal, Human Resources Advisory, MA, CHRL, CEC

Christina Atkinson is a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) with over 25 years of senior HR and leadership experience. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Psychology, the Human Resources Management designation, and is a Certified Executive Coach (CEC). Christina is a member of the Niagara chapter of the HRPA, as well as the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) in the US.

As the Principal, Human Resources Advisory, Christina oversees both the internal HR department and the HR Advisory Services practice, providing leadership and direction to DJB senior management on all HR matters and leading a team of professionals to provide the full range of HR services for external clients.

catkinson@djb.com

Michelle De Luca Michelle DeLuca, Manager Human Resources Advisory

Michelle has over 25 years’ experience working in Human Resources in the areas of Talent Acquisition, Training and Development, and more recently as an HR Generalist. She has completed the Workplace Investigations Certificate Program through Bernardi Human Resource Law LLP. Michelle is a member of the Niagara chapter of the HRPA. She has an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics and Business, as well as a Bachelor of Education, specializing in adult education.

Prior to joining DJB, Michelle gained valuable experience working as an HR Consultant for a large Canadian retailer. Her experience included supporting leaders across the enterprise to help achieve operational goals and drive performance. She is a results-driven HR professional who successfully builds strong relationships with her clients.

mdeluca@djb.com

close crop image of Fran Bonomi Fran Bonomi, Senior Human Resources Consultant, CHRP

Fran is a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) and holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Human Resources Management from Niagara College, as well as an Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences from Western University. As a recent graduate, she is involved in a wide variety of projects and initiatives as part of the Human Resources Advisory Team.

Fran is an active member in the Niagara community.

fbonomi@djb.com

Professional headshot of Francesca-Alexandra Neagu Francesca Neagu, Human Resources Assistant

Francesca joined DJB as an intern in April 2021 and was hired into a full-time role in July 2021. She helps to support the Firm’s internal recruitment efforts and HR team. Francesca supports the internal HR team in all administrative tasks, in particular with job description creation, job posting, and candidate screening & interviews – straight through to the onboarding and orientation of all new DJB staff members. Francesca also provides support for the Human Resources Advisory practice whenever needed.

fneagu@djb.com

FSAT News: Fall/Winter 2023

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS ISSUE:

  • Minority Shareholdings – Does a Minority Discount Apply?
  • CBVs and Legal Matters
  • Discount Rate Increases to 1.0% for Trials in 2024

Tax Tips & Traps: 2023 Q4

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS ISSUE INCLUDE:
  • Tax Tidbits
  • CEBA Repayment Deadline Extended: Some Issues
  • Enhanced GST Residential Rental Rebate: Increased Incentives
  • Surcharge To Accept Payment Via Credit Card: GST/HST?

Office Closure 1/2 Day – Thursday, October 26, 2023

We will be closing our offices on Thursday, October 26, 2023, (partial day) as our entire Firm will be participating in our annual Firm Professional Development Day. Our offices will reopen at 3:00 pm that day and resume our regular business hours.

Monday to Friday  |  8:30am – 5:00pm

Webinar

As a trusted partner in the realm of Human Resources solutions, the DJB HR Advisory team would like to invite you to attend an engaging and insightful lunch-hour webinar that aims to deliver valuable lessons and best practices in areas such as terminations, accommodations, and investigations.

We’ll explore cautionary HR tales and extract meaningful lessons to help you successfully navigate HR challenges. 

Participants are encouraged to bring their own questions, which we will address in real-time during the open discussion portion of the webinar.  Alternatively, questions can be submitted in advance to djbhr@djb.com.

We look forward to your participation in this event!

Registration is now closed