Montreal-based Richter, formerly RSM Richter Chamberland, merged with Toronto-based SBLR LLP Chartered Accountants. 

Richter and SBLR decided to join forces in hopes to become a dominant financial advisory firm in the Toronto market.

SBLR comes with nine partners and at least 40 professionals who will join the Richter team. The merger will wrap up on Jan. 1, 2013, but the integration process is expected to continue throughout the New Year.

“SBLR was a firm that many firms wanted to merge with but Richter was the one they felt most comfortable with,” said Allan Koltin, CEO of Koltin Consulting Group, who advised SBLR on the deal. “SBLR is highly entrepreneurial and wanted a culture where they could practice and serve clients similarly to how they do today.”

“The one big change with Richter would be the addition of greater resources and industry expertise, which will provide greater benefits for their clients and attract new clients to the firm. For Richter, this puts them in the Toronto market in a rather big way. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Toronto office double in size in the next five years because of this combination,” Koltin added.