Mercer & Mercer
Through the Years
1975
And so the journey begins…
Tired of the bureaucracy of government employment working as an auditor of the Canada Revenue Agency, Bill purchases a small accounting practice in Milton, Ontario and becomes his own boss! The first office is located in an unassuming renovated garage on Main Street.
1976
Bill slowly builds his clientele in Milton, using a small business owner’s two best tools: word-of-mouth and referrals. The firm’s initial focus is on farm and horse racing clients.
1980
Bill is conferred the honour of becoming a Life Member of CGA Ontario.
1981
Bill serves as Milton Chamber of Commerce President for the first time.
1983
Bill is conferred the honour of becoming a Fellow by CGA Canada (“F” in FCGA).
1984
Bill is elected President of the Certified General Accountants of Ontario (CGA Ontario), a post that he held from 1984 to 1985. At the time, CGA Ontario was the largest affiliate organization of CGAs in the world.
Bill is instrumental in establishing the Accounting Research and Education Centre at McMaster University.
1985
Mercer & Mercer continues to grow as do traditions along the way. The April 30th tax deadline is celebrated with a lunch of Chinese Food! This tradition is a great opportunity to gather the team for lunch and recognize everyone’s hard work and dedication through the season. It remains a tradition today.
1988
Bill serves as President of CGA Canada until 1989. During this time, he chairs a Task Force on Qualification Requirements for CGA graduates in the 1990s, leading to the initial integration of computers into the CGA Course of Studies and ushering in a new age of technology within the organization.
1990
Mercer & Mercer settles into a new office on Commercial Street. This is the firm’s fourth office, reflective of the company’s growth over the past 15 years. The firm remains in these offices to this day.
1991
Bill becomes president of the Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants (CAPA), a regional organization representing 33 national professional accountancy organizations (PAOs) operating in Asia and the Pacific Rim, with the goal of helping CAPA achieve its long-term objectives.
1993
The Canada Revenue Agency introduces EFILE as a means for professional tax preparers to transmit tax returns electronically.
1996
After graduating from the University of Toronto in 1995, Blake joins the firm in the fall of 1996. He brings with him computer knowledge and a new focus on modernization, which helps streamline the processes relating to tax preparation financial statement preparation and client management.
2001
Bill serves as Milton Chamber of Commerce president for the second time, where he guides the organization through a year of unprecedented growth and infrastructure improvements.
2003
Blake becomes Managing Partner at Mercer & Mercer and the firm re-brands to begin operating as Mercer & Mercer. The Milton Chamber of Commerce selects Bill as Business Person of the Year in recognition of his dedication to entrepreneurship through leadership, ensuring a high level of service, competency and integrity to his clients and community. Following in his father’s footsteps, Blake begins the first of two appointments to the Board of Directors for the Milton Chamber of Commerce.
2006
Blake is elected to the Board of Governors of CGA Ontario.
2008
CGA Canada celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the CGA designation. Bill is selected by a committee of his peers as one of the 100 Outstanding Individuals to Make a Difference in the profession, a huge honour reflective of his lifelong commitment to his work.
2011
Blake serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for CGA Ontario and helps CGA Ontario and CGA Canada navigate the early stages of the process eventually leading to the amalgamation of the entire accounting profession in Canada under the CPA banner. Additionally, Blake receives his Fellow Certified General Accountant (FCGA) designation and Life Membership, honours conferred to members whose achievements and contributions, in their careers and in the community, have rendered exceptional service to the profession.
2014
The Canadian Accounting profession amalgamates Certified General Accountants (CGA), Certified Management Accountants (CMA) and Chartered Accountants (CA) under the newly formed Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA).
Blake becomes a member of the Public Accountants Council for the Province of Ontario – a board responsible for monitoring and accrediting professional accounting bodies in the province under the umbrella of the Attorney Generals office. Blake serves on the council as a representative of CGA Ontario and later CPA Ontario until its disbanding in 2021.
2025
After five decades of steady growth and navigating a changing industry, Mercer & Mercer celebrates 50 years! We’re so grateful to all of our past and current clients and our amazing staff who have made it possible for us to reach this milestone. We’re renewing our commitment to providing excellent client service and look forward to the next 50 years!
