Saskbank
Banking for Professional Firms & Service Companies
Tired of explaining your business to a new relationship manager every fourteen months?
See how 1,400+ firms found a better way →Why Professional Firms Deserve Better Banking
Collateral That Doesn't Fit the Model
Your firm generates $6 million in recurring revenue with 93% realization rates, yet your lender fixates on the building you don't own. Service firms are systematically undervalued by credit models designed for manufacturers and retailers. The result: lower credit limits, higher borrowing costs, and personal guarantees that never step down — regardless of how strong your cash flow becomes. Our lending approach was built to correct that imbalance.
A New Face at the Table, Again
The average relationship manager tenure at a major Canadian bank is roughly 14 months. Each rotation means re-explaining your partnership structure, your billing cycle, and your growth plans — to someone who may rotate again before the next annual review. At Saskbank, our average RM tenure per account is 3.8 years, and our senior bankers stay because we don't have a rotation policy. Your banker knows your business because they've been at your table for years, not months.
Six Weeks to Hear "Maybe"
A 6–10 week credit approval timeline is standard at large institutions. Meanwhile, the practice acquisition you're pursuing has a closing deadline, and the competing bidder's financing is already in place. Our published commitment for facilities under $2 million is 10 business days — and our actual average in Q4 2025 was 7.3 days. For time-sensitive deals, we've compressed to as few as five. See our published timelines.
Fees You Can't Decipher
Account analysis statements that run 15 pages of cryptic line items. Comparing bank pricing feels like comparing mobile phone plans — the confusion is a feature, not a flaw. We publish our complete fee schedule on our website: one page, plain language, updated quarterly. If you can't find the number in under 30 seconds, we've failed at our job.
A Different Kind of Bank — Built for Firms Like Yours
The Old Way
- Credit models built for hard assets — real estate appraisals and equipment schedules required before anyone looks at your revenue
- RM rotation every 12–18 months — your partnership structure explained from scratch each time
- 6–10 week credit decisions as "standard" — while your deal window closes
- Fee schedules buried in fine print — 15 pages of cryptic line items that resist comparison
The Saskbank Way
- A proprietary scoring model that weights recurring revenue, contract duration, and client diversification — designed by our Chief Risk Officer, Dr. Priya Venkatesh
- Named banker, direct line, 3.8-year average account tenure — no rotation policy, ever
- 10-business-day commitment (7.3-day actual average, Q4 2025) — and we publish actual averages quarterly
- Published pricing, published timelines, and a published annual "What We Got Wrong" report
Saskbank was chartered in 2017 for one reason: professional firms and service-based companies deserve a bank that underwrites their actual business — not a collateral checklist. Founded by Nadia Okafor after nine years at TD, we opened at 199 Clemow Avenue in Ottawa's Glebe neighbourhood with $38 million in initial capital. Today, we hold $612 million in assets, maintain a CET1 ratio of 14.2%, and our commercial loan loss rate since inception stands at 0.14% — less than half the Canadian Schedule I bank average of approximately 0.35%. We serve 1,400+ business clients across Ontario from our Ottawa headquarters and Toronto client office.
Four Core Services — Each Built for Professional Firms
Working Capital, Sized to Your Revenue Cycle
Revolving facilities from $100K to $10M, priced on a transparent grid tied to your deposit relationship, utilization, and credit quality. Borrowing base calculated from your actual collection patterns — your billing frequency, average collection period, seasonal variation, and client concentration — not a generic 75% advance rate. Monthly borrowing base reports for facilities above $2M; quarterly below. Margins start at prime + 1.25% for strong credits with significant deposit relationships.
View full lending suite →Capital for Acquisitions, Buyouts, and Growth
Fixed and variable terms from 3 to 15 years for office fit-outs, technology infrastructure, practice acquisitions, and partner buyouts. Prepayment penalties disclosed upfront, including the exact calculation formula — no surprises at year three. DCF-based underwriting anchored to trailing 3-year adjusted EBITDA with profession-specific multiples for legal, accounting, engineering, and healthcare firms. We also offer succession financing with phased drawdowns matched to your equity purchase schedule.
Explore term lending →Your Surplus Cash, Earning What It Should
High-interest business savings from 3.25% to 4.10% (Q1 2026 rates), tiered to reward larger balances. GIC rates published daily, typically 20–50 bps above Big Five posted rates — non-redeemable and cashable options from 90 days to 5 years. Free laddering strategy modelling for deposits above $500,000. Automated sweep functionality moves surplus cash from your operating account at end-of-day. All eligible deposits CDIC insured.
See today's rates →Fee-Only Wealth Advice for Business Owners
Portfolio management, retirement income planning, and succession coordination on a fee-only basis — no embedded commissions, no trailing fees, no soft-dollar arrangements. Minimum portfolio: $250,000. Quarterly performance reporting with benchmark comparison, RRSP and TFSA optimization, and corporate-personal integration that coordinates your salary-vs-dividend strategy with your investment plan. Led by Desmond Achebe, CFP, CIM — 96% client retention rate across a 12-year career.
Learn about wealth management →Professional Firm Owners: Your Banking Should Match Your Ambition
We'll review your current banking arrangement, identify where you're leaving value on the table, and show you exactly what Saskbank can offer — with published rates, published timelines, and a named banker who answers your call. You'll receive a written comparison within two business days of our first conversation, including projected interest earnings, fee savings, and lending terms tailored to your firm's profile.
Whether you're exploring commercial deposit and treasury services, need a lending proposal for a practice acquisition, or want fee-only wealth management that integrates with your corporate finances — the next step is a 30-minute conversation with a senior banker.
Or call us directly: (416) 555-0100
Visit us at 199 Clemow Avenue, Ottawa or 200 Bay Street, Toronto →
