CPA Canada

Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) is the national umbrella organization representing the Canadian accounting profession through the unification of the three largest accounting organizations: the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA), the Society of Management Accountants of Canada (CMA Canada) and Certified General Accountants of Canada (CGA-Canada), as well as the 40 national and provincial accounting bodies.

CPA Canada conducts research on business issues, supports the setting of accounting, auditing and assurance standards for business, non-profits and government, issues guidance and leadership connected to accounting, auditing, assurance and financial literacy, and generally supports the profession of accounting in Canada.

Historically, Canada had three nationally recognized accounting classifications until 2013: Chartered Accountant (CA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and Certified General Accountant (CGA). The national CA and CGA designations were created by Acts of Parliament in 1902 (CA) and 1913 (CGA). The Canada Corporations Act of 1920 established the CMA designation.

In January 2012, after eight months of discussions between members and stakeholders, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA), the Society of Management Accountants of Canada (CMA Canada) and Certified General Accountants of Canada (CGA-Canada) published A Framework for Uniting the Canadian Accounting Profession. The document proposed the unification of the separate organizations into one new designation: Canadian Chartered Professional Accountant-CPA.

One year later, on January 1, 2013, under the Canada Not-For-Profit Corporation Act, Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) was established by CICA and CMA Canada.The Act supported provincial accounting bodies that were coming together under the CPA designation. On October 1, 2014 CGA-Canada joined CPA-Canada, finishing the process of bringing all of Canada's professional accounting organizations together under the auspices of one nationally recognized organization. Today all recognized provincial and national Canadian accounting organizations are unified under the CPA designation. There are over 210,000 members in Canada and internationally who hold the Canadian CPA designation.

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