About Us
Accounting has a rich tradition and history in our province. The University of Saskatchewan was the first in Canada to award degrees in accounting and the college, now known as the Edwards School of Business, began as the School of Accounting in 1917.1
The Department of Accounting at the Edwards School of Business has a long-established reputation for excellence in accounting research and education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Accounting Centre strives to organize and support initiatives that strengthen accounting research and student learning and educational experience. By investing in the Department of Accounting’s research and teaching missions, supporters of the Accounting Centre are investing into the future of accounting professionals and business leaders in the province and beyond.
Since its inception, the Accounting Centre has enhanced the student educational experience at the University of Saskatchewan, aided in increasing student exposure to academic research, supported research and development of faculty members in the Department of Accounting, and facilitated student connections with the accounting community locally in Saskatoon, provincially across Saskatchewan, and nationally across Canada. This has been made possible through valued partnerships with member organizations of the Accounting Forum.
1. Buhr, N., G. D. Feltham, and T. T. Tremaine. 2006. Institutional dances: How the first accounting degree in Canada came to be at the University of Saskatchewan. Accounting Perspectives 5 (1): 113-143.
Our Partners
The Accounting Centre collaborates with Saskatchewan’s top public accounting firms to establish Saskatchewan as a thought leader in addressing current and future challenges of the accounting profession. These strategic relationships provide investment in the growth and innovation in accounting. We are proud to recognize the contributions of KPMG, MNP, Virtus Group, and CPA Saskatchewan.
Initiatives
Undergraduate Honours Program in Accounting
Funds administered through the Accounting Centre have contributed to nearly 2 dozen students completing the honours program in their undergraduate studies over the past decade. Students completing the honours program directly engage in the academic research exercise and complete a project with the supervision of our esteemed faculty, often with the opportunity for the project to result in an academic publication. Students benefit from firsthand exposure to cutting-edge scholarship, which deepens their understanding and prepares them for academic or professional success.
Select graduates from the honours program have pursued their doctoral studies including Dr. Ilona Bastiaansen who is now an Assistant Professor of Accountancy at the University of Notre Dame.
Current faculty members have supervised the recent research projects of the following accounting honours graduates:
- Brayden Arnott: “Tax Literacy and Source Credibility Influence on Tax Reporting Decisions” Supervised by Dr. Mike Wynes
- Roginne Gendreau: “External Stakeholder Management on Mining Communities” Co-supervised by Dr. Kenneth Fox and Dr. Mark Klassen
- Jenna Mcfadyen: “Do the big 4 public accounting firms attract different clients? Evidence from Institutional investor holdings” Supervised by Dr. Hamilton Elkins
- Jacqueline Morris: “Characteristics of good governance: Insights for future research” Supervised by Dr. Devan Mescall
- Brielle Perlett: “The effects of negative performance feedback on help-seeking behavior among junior auditors” Supervised by Dr. Regan Schmidt
- Kyla Pratchler: “Does autonomy towards a component of the Canadian Federal Budget affect tax compliance and morale?” Co-supervised by Dr. Devan Mescall and Dr. Regan Schmidt
2024-2025 honours students shown above (L to R): Brayden Arnott, Kyla Pratchler, Roginne Gendreau.
New Courses and Content
COMM 324: Data Analytics for Accountants – The COMM 324 course was developed in response to the increased role that data analytics plays in the modern practice of accounting. Established in 2021, COMM 324 provides undergraduate students with an understanding of how data can be analyzed, interpreted, and utilized by accountants. The course meets the Data Analytics & Information Systems (DAIS) competency ensuring our undergraduate students continue to have thorough access to curriculum supporting their CPA education pathway.
COMM 398: Sustainability Reporting – With support from the Accounting Centre, Associate Professor, Dr. Kenneth Fox, has been established as a Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Certified Sustainability Professional and has the Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting (FSA) Accreditation of the Value Reporting Foundation. These certifications have fostered further progress for Edwards curriculum with the development of COMM 398: Sustainability Reporting. Offered for the first time in the Winter 2026 Term, this course will focus on sustainability reporting, ESG disclosure, standards, frameworks, certifications, relationships to business processes, and more. COMM 398 provides a unique special topic focus for Edwards students as sustainability continues to be an area of growing importance in accounting practice.
Publications
As one of Canada’s research intensive universities, the University of Saskatchewan has been ranked as the #1 university in the world for accounting education research.2 Investing in research is critical to both attracting and retaining faculty and enhancing the global reputation of our institution as a leader in accounting thought and scholarship. By advancing the discipline through peer-reviewed publications, faculty remain on the edge of their field of expertise and enables faculty to bring the latest research, ideas, and innovations into the classroom. To maintain research trajectory, faculty disseminate their research at international conferences and symposiums by presenting works in progress or recent publications thereby connecting the University of Saskatchewan and Accounting Centre to the global accounting community. Critically, this engagement of our faculty keeps course content current, relevant, and intellectually stimulating, fostering a learning environment that encourages critical thinking and curiosity.
1. Bernardi, R.A., K. A. Zamojcin, and T.L. Delande. 2016. Ranking accounting authors and departments in accounting education: different methodologies – significantly different results. Accounting Education 25 (6): 568-597.
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AI is great at routine tasks. Here's why boards should resist using it. Bruni-Bossio, V., Mescall, D., Schmidt, R. N., & Srivastava, A. (2025). AI is great at routine tasks. Here’s why boards should resist using it. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2025/05/ai-is-great-at-routine-tasks-heres-why-boards-should-resist-using-it |
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The impact of joint provision of audit and tax services on the advice of tax professionals. Mescall, D., & Schmidt, R. N. (2025). The impact of joint provision of audit and tax services on the advice of tax professionals. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccpubpol.2025.107293 |
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Sustainability reporting in the banking industry: Examining the extent of assurance. Davey, K., Entwistle, G., & Faye, C. (2025). Sustainability Reporting in the Banking Industry: Examining the Extent of Assurance. Journal of Accounting, Ethics & Public Policy, JAEPP, 26(1), 27. https://doi.org/10.60154/jaepp.2025.v26n1p27 |
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Evidence About Discipline Committees and Professional Misconduct of Auditors Mescall, D., Schmidt, R. N., Wynes, M. J. (2025). Evidence About Discipline Committees and Professional Misconduct of Auditors. Accounting Perspectives. https://doi.org/10.1111%2F1911-3838.70001 |
Events
Welcome to the Accounting Major – The annual Welcome to the Accounting Major event celebrates students newly accepted to the accounting major in their Bachelor of Commerce program. The evening reception brings together students, faculty members, staff, and special guests from our Accounting Forum partners. For many student attendees, the Welcome reception is the first major department event and networking opportunity that they experience. The inaugural event held in January 2023 created a tradition of excellence in bringing the Department of Accounting and CPA community together to celebrate this milestone for our undergraduate students.
Accounting Bootcamp – Originating in 2024, the Accounting Bootcamp is facilitated at the start of the Spring Term (May) and the start of the Fall Term (September) to prepare students for advanced concepts that will be covered in their intermediate COMM 321 Corporate Financial Reporting I class in that term. The full day event includes review of relevant strategies and technical skills to prepare for upcoming courses and fosters connections to the broader accounting community with expert professors, guest speakers, and industry professionals facilitating the day. This initiative has already benefited nearly 200 undergraduate students in the short time it has been offered. The Accounting Bootcamp is made possible by the generous support from CPA Saskatchewan.
Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) – The Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) provides free tax clinics for individuals with a modest income and a simple tax situation. Accounting students enrolled in Comm 407: Individual and Corporate Taxes Payable and Tax Planning volunteer their time to meet with clients and prepare returns at each clinic. The CVITP has been serving the Saskatoon community continuously for over 20 years, albeit with a brief pause during pandemic. Since 2024, support from our partners at CPA Saskatchewan has allowed the CVITP to facilitate clinics at 6 unique locations, providing service and support to approximately 150 clients in Saskatoon.
MNP Top Gun – The MNP Top Gun event is a reception that recognizes students who have shown an early aptitude for skills in accounting. Edwards students who scored among the top of their peers on assessments in COMM 201 Introduction to Financial Accounting are exclusively invited to join MNP and the Department of Accounting for the evening. The event provides an opportunity for students to hear from current CPAs and explore what a career in accounting could look like for their future. This event is made possible though the generous support from MNP.
Contact Us
For more information on the Accounting Centre and opportunities for partnership and collaboration, please contact us:
Edwards School of Business
University of Saskatchewan
25 Campus Drive
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
S7N 5A7