Books closed on time.
Reports you can actually rely on.
A CPA-led fractional controller for Canadian businesses between $2M and $100M. We close your books every month, build and track your budget, analyze the results, and automate the reporting your leadership, lender, and board need — at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire.
Fixed monthly retainer — a fraction of a full-time controller · No lock-in · Most clients start within two weeks
A fractional controller in Canada — senior oversight, without the full-time salary.
A fractional controller owns the accuracy of your finance function on a part-time, ongoing basis. Positioned between your bookkeeping team and leadership, we make sure your numbers are right, your month-end closes on schedule, and your reports arrive when decisions need to be made — not three weeks later.
What makes our approach different is automation. We don’t just review the work — we redesign the close so bank feeds, receipt capture, approvals, and recurring reports run with far less manual effort. Your team spends less time in spreadsheets, and your reporting stops depending on one person’s overtime. See how we automate accounting workflows.
Also Available as an Interim Controller
Controller resigned, on leave, or promoted? We step in immediately — keeping the close on track, supporting your team, and maintaining reporting while you run your permanent search. Engagements typically run 3–12 months — remote, hybrid, or on-site.
What your fractional controller delivers.
Month-End Close, On Schedule
A structured, repeatable close with reconciliations, journal entry review, and a target close date your leadership can plan around — every month.
Budgeting & Forecasting
An annual budget built with your leadership team, updated forecasts as the year unfolds, and a cash flow outlook — so plans are grounded in real numbers. Why budgeting and analysis matter.
Reporting & Variance Analysis
A monthly package with financial statements, budget vs. actual, margins, and KPIs — plus clear commentary on what changed and why. Ready for leadership, lenders, and the board.
Finance Automation
Bank feeds, receipt capture, approval workflows, and recurring reports set up in QuickBooks Online or Xero — less manual entry, fewer errors, faster close.
Controls & Bookkeeper Oversight
Approval workflows, signing authorities, and accounting policies, plus review of your bookkeeper’s work. No bookkeeper? Day-to-day bookkeeping can be included — automated where possible and reviewed by a CPA.
Catch-Up & Cleanup
Books months behind? We reconcile, correct mispostings, and bring everything current — then put a reliable close in place so it doesn’t happen again.
Three ways to engage — start where you are.
1. Close & Control
Monthly close, reconciliations, financial statements, bookkeeper oversight, and internal controls. The foundation: accurate books, every month, on time.
2. Close + Budgeting & Analysis
Everything in Close & Control, plus the annual budget, monthly budget vs. actual with variance commentary, workflow automation, and a reporting package built to your needs. Our most popular engagement.
3. Controller + CFO Insights
Everything above, plus multi-year planning, scenario modelling, financing and cash strategy, and board-level advisory. CFO-level insight built on numbers you can trust.
Not sure where to start? Many clients begin with a fixed-fee finance review (2–3 weeks): we map your close and reporting, identify quick wins, and give you a practical plan — with no ongoing commitment.
You might need a fractional controller if…
Fractional controller questions we’re asked most.
What does a fractional controller do?
A fractional controller owns the accuracy of your finance function on a part-time, ongoing basis: running the month-end close, reviewing journal entries and reconciliations, designing internal controls, supervising your bookkeeper, building and tracking the budget, and preparing the financial statements, variance analysis, and management reports your leadership, lender, or board rely on. Where a bookkeeper records what happened, a controller is responsible for whether the record is right — and for getting it to decision-makers on time.
Does a fractional controller handle budgeting and financial analysis?
Yes. In most businesses between $2M and $100M, the controller builds the annual budget with leadership, tracks actual results against it every month, and explains the variances — along with margin, KPI, and cash flow analysis. A CFO adds a longer-range layer on top: multi-year planning, financing, and major strategic decisions. Many businesses get the analysis they need from a controller alone.
How much does a fractional controller cost in Canada?
Our engagements are fixed monthly retainers scaled to your transaction volume and reporting needs, with no lock-in — you will know the exact monthly fee before you commit. For comparison, a full-time controller in Ontario or Alberta typically earns $110,000 to $165,000 in base salary — closer to $150,000 to $200,000 with benefits, payroll taxes, and overhead.
Do you work with businesses outside Ontario?
Yes. We are based near Ottawa and work with clients across Canada. Most work happens inside your cloud accounting system — QuickBooks Online or Xero — so location makes no difference to the close, the reporting, or how quickly we respond. When on-site time is valuable, such as team meetings, year-end, or onboarding, we can visit in person.
Can you work alongside our existing bookkeeper — or do our bookkeeping?
Both. Most often we sit above your bookkeeper — reviewing the work, owning the close, and setting policy — and the quality of their work typically improves once there is senior review. If you don’t have a bookkeeper, day-to-day bookkeeping can be included in your controller engagement, automated wherever possible and reviewed by a CPA.
What is the difference between a fractional and an interim controller?
A fractional controller is an ongoing, part-time arrangement — consistent senior oversight month after month. An interim controller fills a defined gap, usually when a controller resigns or goes on leave, at higher intensity for three to twelve months. We provide both, and many clients move from interim coverage into an ongoing fractional arrangement.
Our books are months behind. Can you still help?
Yes — it is a common starting point. We begin with a catch-up and cleanup: reconciling accounts, correcting mispostings, and bringing your financials current, then put a reliable monthly close in place. You do not need clean books to start; getting them clean is part of the work.
How quickly can you start?
Most engagements begin within one to two weeks of an initial conversation. Where there is urgency — a controller departure, an audit, or a financing deadline — we can usually move faster. As an Advanced QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor and Xero Advisor, we work inside your existing file from day one with no migration required.