Meet Steve Ambeault
Steve Ambeault, originally from Vancouver and a graduate of Simon Fraser University, has been based in Edmonton since 2001. He began his professional career in accounting at Grant Thornton and later joined the tax team at KPMG, where he developed a strong foundation in tax law and compliance. Those early roles gave him practical experience that he later applied in corporate finance positions at CIBC Wood Gundy and ATCO, gaining a broader perspective on investment management and corporate financial operations.
In the early 2000s Steve moved into wealth management, combining his accounting and tax expertise to help individuals and families preserve wealth, manage risk and reduce tax exposure. Since joining Clear Sky Private Wealth Inc. in 2016, he has led the tax and planning teams and played a central role in integrating tax-aware strategies across the firm. He oversees tax coordination for clients in both Calgary and Edmonton to ensure consistent, province-wide support.
Steve’s practice emphasizes tailored financial solutions designed to reflect each client’s unique goals and circumstances. His core areas of focus include retirement planning, tax-efficient strategies, and the design and administration of estates and trusts. He works closely with clients to align investment decisions, insurance planning and estate documents with their long-term objectives, helping provide confidence and clarity across all stages of life.
Outside of his professional life, Steve maintains an active and intellectually engaged lifestyle. He enjoys golf, regular workouts, and spending quality time with his wife Lyndsay and their four children. These pursuits help him balance a busy practice with family life and personal well-being.
| Services | • Financial Planning • Investment Planning & Implementation • Insurance Planning & Implementation |
| Specializations | • Estate Planning • Retirement Income Planning • Tax Planning |
| Payment Model | • Fees paid by clients based on assets managed by advisor • Fees paid by clients for advice (not based on assets) |
| Languages written and spoken | • English |
Why did you become a planner?
As an accountant focused on tax matters, Steve noticed that many clients approaching retirement lacked comprehensive plans that accounted for tax consequences. Wanting to put his technical knowledge to practical use, he shifted into personal and corporate financial planning to help clients make more informed choices. That transition allowed him to combine technical tax skills with broader planning strategies to create clearer outcomes for people preparing for retirement or managing complex financial situations.
What is your approach to financial planning?
Steve and his team deliver comprehensive financial planning with a scenario-driven approach. Rather than offering a single projection, they prepare multiple potential outcomes—best case, base case and downside scenarios—so clients understand the range of possible results and the risks involved. This method helps clients see how different choices, market conditions or life events could affect their financial future and supports better decision-making when it comes to investments, tax strategies, and retirement income planning.
In practice, that means coordinating tax implications, investment outlooks and estate considerations into a single, actionable plan. Regular reviews and adjustments are built into the process to keep plans aligned with changing laws, market conditions and personal circumstances.
What is your proudest achievement as a financial planner?
Steve measures success by the long-term outcomes his clients experience. He is particularly proud that a large proportion of his clients find their actual financial results track closely with the plans the team prepares. Consistent follow-up and annual reviews play a key role in keeping plans on course and ensuring that clients stay informed and confident about their financial position.
What is a client success story you can share?
One notable case involved tax planning around a series of real estate transactions where Steve and his colleagues identified strategies that reduced the clients’ overall tax burden. The planning work resulted in tax savings of approximately $80,000, demonstrating the tangible impact careful tax coordination and transaction planning can have on a family’s net outcome.
What would you do if money were no object?
Travel would be his choice. Exploring new places, cultures and ideas is something he values and would pursue more extensively if financial constraints were removed.
What is the best money advice you ever received?
“Live within your means, but work hard to improve your means.” This balance between prudent spending and proactive income growth informs the practical guidance he offers clients.
What is the worst money advice you ever received?
“Someone’s got to win the lottery.” Relying on luck is not a plan; Steve prefers disciplined saving, thoughtful risk management and tax-aware planning to achieve financial goals.
Contact Steve Ambeault
- 📍 Edmonton and Calgary, A.B.
- 🔗 Clear Sky Private Wealth Inc.
- ☎️ 780-488-2644
- linkedin.com/in/steve-ambeault/