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New office works by the numbers General accounting firm opens satellite branch on Wolverine Road
Shawn Giilck
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, July 11, 2013
INUVIK
This company aims to do things by the numbers.
Denise Walk-Grey is the new face of the Biswanath Chakrabarty & Co. Certified General Accountant firm opening its doors in Inuvik. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo
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Saying there's a dearth of accounting resources in town, the Biswanath Chakrabarty & Co. Certified General Accountant firm is in the process of setting up shop in Inuvik.
The company was founded in India, but currently has offices operating in Yellowknife. The Inuvik operation is currently a satellite branch, employee Denise Walk-Grey said, but there are plans afoot to turn it into a full-fledged office.
She's the face of the firm, which opened up in June on Wolverine Road. Walk-Grey said the company had a look around Inuvik and the Beaufort Delta region before deciding to take the plunge and open an office.
"One certified general accountant (CGA) who was working here has retired," she said. "There's one more in town, and there's another CGA who comes up from British Columbia."
"Most of the accounting work here is seasonal," Walk-Grey added. "A lot of it is taxes."
During the early winter months, there's at least one more accountant who arrives to handle income tax returns, she said.
Since Inuvik is a government centre with a large number of non-profit and charitable groups, Walk-Grey said the firm believes there's a market for its services here. That's also true in the outlying communities in the region, she said.
The firm is aiming to tap into that under-served market by offering services related to business plans, payrolls, audited statements and the like.
Inuvik Chamber of Commerce board member Anand Soochit said he didn't know the firm had opened an office here in Inuvik, but said he was familiar with the company and believes there would be a market for its services in Inuvik.
"It's always good to have someone here closer to home that's available," he said. "Many people travel to Yellowknife, Alberta and British Columbia for those services now."
Walk-Grey is currently the only staff member of the company in Inuvik. As it becomes established, the expectation is that more staff will come to town, likely on a seasonal basis to start.
"We will assess that by the end of the year," she said. "It's running like a satellite office at the moment. We'll have someone come in during peak periods, and we can do consultations via the office in Yellowknife."
Walk-Grey is currently recruiting clients, and says the prospect look promising.
"I've been busy calling a few people," she said.
While she's not an accountant herself, Walk-Grey does have a background in the financial services industry, which gives her some experience and skill in sizing up the needs of a prospective client.
"If we could have a couple of clients by the end of the month, that'll be a good start," she said.
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