Chartered Professional Accountant

The CPA Competency Map lays the foundation for the CPA certification program, including education, accreditation, examinations, and practical experience requirements, and describes the knowledge, skills and proficiency levels you must achieve to become a Canadian CPA.{{cite web |title=The CPA Competency Map: Qualifications for the Canadian CPA designation |url=https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/become-a-cpa/pathways-to-becoming-a-cpa/national-education-resources/the-cpa-competency-map |website=CPA Canada |accessdate=12 June 2020 |archive-date=25 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225051728/https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/become-a-cpa/pathways-to-becoming-a-cpa/national-education-resources/the-cpa-competency-map |url-status=dead }}

1. Financial Reporting
2. Management Accounting
3. Strategy & Governance
4. Audit & Assurance
5. Corporate Finance
6. Taxation

1. Acting Ethically and Demonstrating Professional Values
2. Leading
3. Collaborating
4. Managing Self
5. Adding Value
6. Solving Problems and Making Decisions
7. Communicating

Former CFE Competency Map (2019):

1. Professional & Ethical Behaviour
2. Problem solving & Decision making
3. Written & Oral communications
4. Self Management
5. Leadership & Teamwork

{{See also|Canadian accounting profession unification}}

"Chartered Professional Accountant" is borrowed from a similar but aborted Australian merger attempt in 1998.{{cite press release |author= |title= ACCC not concerned by key accounting bodies' merger|url= http://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-not-concerned-by-key-accounting-bodies-merger|publisher= Australian Competition & Consumer Commission|date= 18 August 1998|access-date=2017-09-15}}{{cite news |last= Khadem|first= Nassim|date= October 3, 2013|title= Accounting bodies CPA and ICAA in trans-Tasman war over members|url= http://www.afr.com/leadership/careers/accounting-bodies-cpa-and-icaa-in-transtasman-war-over-members-20131003-jygs7|work= Australian Financial Review }} It has been registered as an EU Community trademark by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.{{cite web|title = Case details for trade mark EU010564508|url = http://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmcase/Results/4/EU010564508|date = 16 January 2012|publisher = UK Intellectual Property Office}} However, applications to register "CPA" as such were either withdrawn{{cite web|title = Case details for trade mark UK00002564752|url = http://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmcase/Results/1/UK00002564752|publisher = UK Intellectual Property Office}} or refused.{{cite web|title = Case details for trade mark UK00002588313|url = http://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmcase/Results/1/UK00002588313|publisher = Intellectual Property Office}}

File:CMA ad 2007.png

For more than 100 years, Canada has seen several accounting designations, which eventually coalesced around the titles of "chartered accountant", "certified management accountant" and "certified general accountant". In time, it became increasingly harder to distinguish between them, as candidates in all bodies had to essentially meet the same requirements for entry. The Government of Quebec undertook a review which resulted in the goal of a merger under common regulations.{{Cite news|url=http://www.macleans.ca/work/jobs/accounting-designations-get-together/|title=Accounting designations get together - Macleans.ca|date=2013-09-24|work=Macleans.ca|access-date=2017-06-04|language=en-US}}

Registration as a Canadian trademark was originally sought by the Ordre des comptables agréés du Québec in September 2010, but the application lapsed.{{cite journal|title = Canadian trade-mark data: Application 0920675 |url = http://www.ic.gc.ca/app/opic-cipo/trdmrks/srch/vwTrdmrk.do?lang=eng&status=OK&fileNumber=0920675&extension=0&startingDocumentIndexOnPage=1|publisher = Industry Canada}} It was subsequently secured by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario in August 2011.{{cite journal|title = Canadian trade-mark data: Application 0921244|url = http://www.ic.gc.ca/app/opic-cipo/trdmrks/srch/vwTrdmrk.do?lang=eng&status=OK&fileNumber=0921244&extension=0&startingDocumentIndexOnPage=1|publisher = Industry Canada}}

In January 2012, A Framework for Uniting the Canadian Accounting Profession was issued by the following three 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). This framework set out a proposal to unite members of the existing designations and their 40 national and provincial accounting bodies into the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada), employing a common CPA designation.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/the-cpa-profession/uniting-the-canadian-accounting-profession/uniting-the-accounting-profession-a-framework|title=A framework for uniting the Canadian accounting profession|website=www.cpacanada.ca|language=en|access-date=2017-06-04}}

On October 1, 2014, the union of Canada's accounting profession became complete with the integration of the CGA-Canada and CPA Canada, placing all of Canada's recognized national accounting bodies under the singular CPA banner.{{Cite web|url=http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=890179|title=Minister Findlay congratulates CPA Canada on their official unification|last=Agency|publisher=Canada Revenue Agency|date=October 3, 2014|website=news.gc.ca|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218160200/http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=890179|archive-date= December 18, 2014|url-status=dead}} The Canadian CPA designation has since grown to more than 210,000 members in Canada and around the world.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/connecting-and-news/news/media-centre/2017/april/mou-between-cpa-canada-and-icap|title=Memorandum of Understanding between Canadian CPA bodies and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan|date=April 12, 2017|publisher=CPA Canada}}

File:CPA-Image123.jpg

The move to adopt the CPA designation was the latest of a series of consolidating moves that has affected the Canadian accounting profession between 1880 and 2010,{{sfn|Richardson|Kilfoyle|2012}} of which the last significant merger occurred between Canadian chartered accountants and certified public accountants in the 1960s.{{sfn|Richardson|Jones|2007|pp=146{{en dash}}151}} Several attempts were made to merge the CGAs and CMAs during the 1960s, as well as of all three bodies during the 1970s.{{sfn|Richardson|1996|p=91}} A subsequent merger attempt between chartered accountants and certified management accountants occurred in 2004, being promoted by their leaders but failing to secure adequate membership support.{{sfn|Richardson|Jones|2007|pp=151{{en dash}}156}}

In 2011, all three main bodies agreed to work towards a merger that would see a new organization with 180,000 professional members and 10,000 candidates and registered students. This new accounting body would be one of the largest in the world.{{Cite web|title = Uniting the Canadian accounting profession|url = http://cpacanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Position_Paper.pdf|date = May 2011|accessdate = 2012-05-01|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120916192035/http://cpacanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Position_Paper.pdf|archive-date = 2012-09-16}} Proponents of the 2012 proposal to unite the profession under the CPA argued that it would strengthen the influence, relevance and contribution of the Canadian accounting profession with domestic and international stakeholders and serve the public interest through common codes of conduct, disciplinary systems and licensing regimes.{{Cite news|url=http://business.financialpost.com/fp-comment/let-ca-cma-and-cga-give-way-to-cpa|title=Let CA, CMA and CGA give way to CPA|work=Financial Post|access-date=2017-06-04|language=en}}

The guiding principles for the unification were expressed to be:

:* Evolution to a single designation over a 10-year transition period

:* Continued use of existing designations (used in combination with the CPA, e.g.:CPA, CGA)

:* Retention but no expansion of rights (ie, current mutual recognition agreements would be confined to legacy members concerned)

:* A uniform certification process for new members

:* Introduction of post-certification specialty programmes

:* Branding the CPA designation, with de-emphasis of legacy designations

:* Common code of conduct, regulations and the practice of public accountancy

:* Merged operations and governance{{Cite web|title = Now is the time to secure our future|url = http://cpacanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Unification_Framework.pdf|date = May 2011|accessdate = 2012-05-01|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120425143820/http://cpacanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Unification_Framework.pdf|archive-date = 2012-04-25}}

{{Simple Horizontal timeline

|caption=Timeline of Canadian accounting profession and designations

|from=1875

|to=2025

|row1=note

|row1-1-at=1875

|row1-1-text=Major events

|row1-1-shift=

|row1-1-lift=

|row1-1-arrow= 

|row1-2-at=1902

|row1-2-text=establishment of DACADominion Association of Chartered Accountants

|row1-2-shift=

|row1-2-lift=

|row1-2-arrow=

|row1-3-at=1951

|row1-3-text=DACA becomes CICACanadian Institute of Chartered Accountants

|row1-3-shift=

|row1-3-lift=

|row1-3-arrow=

|row1-4-at=2012

|row1-4-text=new CPA designation introduced in Quebec

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|row2=note

|row2-1-at=1875

|row2-1-text=

|row2-1-shift=

|row2-1-lift=

|row2-1-arrow= 

|row2-2-at=1920

|row2-2-text=formation of CSCACanadian Society of Cost Accountants, eventually becoming the Society of Management Accountants of Canada in 1977 and CMA Canada in 1985{{efn|Originally created by DACA, with membership originally restricted to chartered accountants,{{cite journal |author= |title= The Canadian Society of Cost Accountants|url= https://archive.org/stream/canadianchartere10canauoft#page/30/mode/2up|journal= The Canadian Chartered Accountant|location= Toronto|publisher= Dominion Association of Chartered Accountants|date= July 1920|volume = X|issue = 1|pages = 31{{en dash}}34|accessdate= June 24, 2014}} in a move designed to prevent the GAA from moving into the growing field of cost accounting.{{sfn|Richardson|2000|p=110}}}}

|row2-2-shift=

|row2-2-lift=

|row2-2-arrow=

|row2-3-at=1968

|row2-3-text=creation of CICA Handbook

|row2-3-lift=

|row2-3-arrow=

|row2-4-at=

|row2-4-text=

|row2-4-shift=

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|row3=note

|row3-1-at=1908

|row3-1-text= formation of General Accountants' Association{{efn|originally formed as a technical self-study group of accountants working at the Canadian Pacific Railway{{sfn|Richardson|2000|p=110}}}}

|row3-1-shift=

|row3-1-lift=

|row3-1-arrow=

|row3-2-at=1982

|row3-2-text=GAA becomes CGA Canada

|row3-2-shift=

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|row3-2-arrow=

|row3-3-at=

|row3-3-text=

|row3-3-shift=

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|row3-3-arrow=

|row4=note

|row4-1-at=1875

|row4-1-text=Other

|row4-1-shift=

|row4-1-lift=

|row4-1-arrow= 

|row4-2-at=1880

|row4-2-text=formation of Association of Accountants in Montreal{{efn|subsequently incorporated by Act of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec{{Cite canlaw|short title = An Act to incorporate the Association of Accountants in Montreal|abbr = S.Q.|year = 1880|chapter = 88|link = https://books.google.com/books?id=PoMwAQAAMAAJ&lpg=PA265&ots=WFl3OaPENZ&pg=PA404#v=onepage&f=false}}}}first accounting organization in North America, and predecessor of the Ordre des comptables agréés du Québec

|row4-2-shift=

|row4-2-lift=

|row4-2-arrow=

|row4-3-at=1939

|row4-3-text=CSCA split{{efn|those members wishing to concentrate more on management accounting left to form the Controllers' Institute of Canada (later part of the Financial Executives Institute){{sfn|Richardson|1996|p=90}}}}

|row4-3-shift=

|row4-3-lift=

|row4-3-arrow=

|row4-4-at=1962

|row4-4-text=CA/CPA merger

|row4-4-shift=

|row4-4-lift=

|row4-4-arrow=

|row4-5-at=2013

|row4-5-text=formation of CPA Canada

|row4-5-shift=

|row4-5-lift=

|row4-5-arrow=

|row5=note

|row5-1-at=1883

|row5-1-text=creation of ICAO{{efn|incorporated by Act of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario{{Cite canlaw|short title = An Act to Incorporate the Institute of Accountants of Ontario|abbr = S.O.|year = 1883|chapter = 62|link = https://archive.org/stream/statutesofprovin1883onta#page/494/mode/2up}}}}Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario, succeeding the Institute of Accountants and Adjusters of Ontario formed in 1879

|row5-1-shift=

|row5-1-lift=

|row5-1-arrow=

|row5-2-at=1909

|row5-2-text=restructuring of DACA as a federation of provincial Institutes{{sfn|Richardson|2000|p=99}}

|row5-2-shift=

|row5-2-lift=

|row5-2-arrow=

|row5-3-at=1985

|row5-3-text=RIA designation superseded by CMA

|row5-3-shift=

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|row5-4-at=

|row5-4-text=

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|row5-4-arrow=

|row6=timeline

|row6-height=3em

|row6-1-text =

|row6-1-to = 1880

|row6-1-colour=

|row6-2-text = Chartered Accountant

|row6-2-to = 2022

|row6-2-colour=#ffff99

|row7=timeline

|row7-height=3em

|row7-1-text =

|row7-1-to = 1918

|row7-1-colour=

|row7-2-text = Certified Public Accountant{{efn|In Quebec, the Licentiate in Accountancy was first granted by McGill University in 1918,{{cite web|url= https://www.mcgill.ca/desautels/about/history|title= Desautels: History|author= |website= mcgill.ca|publisher= Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University|access-date= September 14, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170826024203/https://www.mcgill.ca/desautels/about/history|archive-date= August 26, 2017|url-status= dead}} which was granted statutory recognition as a professional designation in 1920.{{Cite canlaw|short title =Loi constituant en corporation l'Association des comptables|abbr =S.Q.|year =1919-20|chapter =118|link= https://www.bibliotheque.assnat.qc.ca/DepotNumerique_v2/AffichageFichier.aspx?idf=126287}}{{in lang|fr}} It was subsequently replaced by "Certified Public Accountant" in 1927.{{Cite canlaw|short title =Loi modifiant la Loi des comptables|abbr =S.Q.|year =1927|chapter =61|link= https://www.bibliotheque.assnat.qc.ca/DepotNumerique_v2/AffichageFichier.aspx?idf=123700}}{{in lang|fr}}}}{{efn|In English Canada, United Accountant (UA) was a predecessor designation, granted by the United Accountants and Auditors in Canada from 1920 (successor to the Society of Independent Accountants and Auditors formed in 1918).{{sfn|Richardson|1993|pp=221-222}} The UA designation was held not to infringe the protected designation of CA.{{cite CanLII|litigants=Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba v Bellamy|year=1926|court=MBQB|num=242|format=canlii|parallelcite=[1926] 4 DLR 230|date=1926-07-07|courtname=auto}}}}{{efn|In Ontario, formed mainly from accountants and auditors working in government tax offices.{{sfn|Richardson|Kilfoyle|2012|p=10}} The designation originated as LA (Licentiate in Accountancy) during 1926{{en dash}}1931,{{Cite canlaw|short title =The Association of Accountants and Auditors Act, 1926|abbr =S.O.|year =1926|chapter =124|link = https://archive.org/stream/statutesofprovin1926onta#page/682/mode/2up}} changing to IPA (Incorporated Public Accountant) during 1931{{en dash}}1936,{{Cite canlaw|short title =The Association of Accountants and Auditors Act, 1931|abbr =S.O.|year =1931|chapter =143|link = https://archive.org/stream/statutesofprovin1931onta#page/504/mode/2up}} before becoming CPA.{{Cite canlaw|short title =The Certified Public Accountants Act, 1936|abbr =S.O.|year =1936|chapter =68|link = https://archive.org/stream/statutesofprovin1936onta#page/290/mode/2up}}}}

|row7-2-to = 1962

|row7-2-colour=#E5E4E2

|row8=timeline

|row8-height=3em

|row8-1-text =

|row8-1-to = 1950

|row8-1-colour=

|row8-2-text = Accredited Public Accountant{{efn|Known as "APA", in effect in the western provinces as early as 1950,The Manitoba Accredited Public Accountants Act, S.M. 1950, c. 103 before merging with the Certified General Accountants at various dates as late as 1998.{{Cite canlaw|short title =The Certified General Accountants Amendment Act, 1998|abbr =S.S.|year =1998|chapter =11|link =http://www.qp.gov.sk.ca/documents/english/chapters/1998/chap-11.pdf}} The designation is still reserved in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and New Brunswick.}}

|row8-2-to = 1998

|row8-2-colour=#EFDFBB

|row9=timeline

|row9-height=3em

|row9-1-text =

|row9-1-to = 1914

|row9-1-colour=

|row9-2-text = Certified General Accountant

|row9-2-to = 2022

|row9-2-colour=#99ff99

|row10=timeline

|row10-height=3em

|row10-1-text =

|row10-1-to = 1927

|row10-1-colour=

|row10-2-text = Certificate of efficiency{{cite book |author= J. Nelson Allan|year= 1982|title= History of the Society of Management Accountants of Canada|location= Hamilton|publisher= Society of Management Accountants of Canada|page= 21|isbn= 978-0-920212-45-5 }}{{sfn|Richardson|1996|p=90}}

|row10-2-to = 1941

|row10-2-colour=

|row10-3-text = Registered Industrial Accountant{{efn|The designation was created once provincial societies began to be formed.{{sfn|Richardson|2000|p=112}} Originally known as "Registered Industrial and Cost Accountant" or "RIA",{{Cite canlaw|short title = The Society of Industrial and Cost Accountants of Ontario Act, 1941|abbr = S.O.|year = 1941|chapter = 77|link = https://archive.org/stream/statutesofprovin1941onta#page/316/mode/2up}} it was simplified in some, but not all, provinces around 1967.{{Cite canlaw|short title = The Society of Industrial Accountants of Ontario Act, 1967|abbr = S.O.|year = 1967|chapter = 129|link = https://archive.org/stream/statutesofprovin1967onta#page/548/mode/2up}}}}

|row10-3-to = 1985

|row10-3-colour=#ccffff

|row10-4-text = Certified Management Accountant

|row10-4-to = 2022

|row10-4-colour=#ffccff

|row11=timeline

|row11-height=3em

|row11-1-text =

|row11-1-to = 2012

|row11-1-colour=

|row11-2-text = CPA

|row11-2-to = 2025

|row11-2-colour=#E5E4E2

|row12=scale

|axis-nudge=-0.8em

}}

{{Reflist|group=a|3}}

• Common Final Examination
• Professional certification
• Professional certification in financial services
• Registered Professional Accountant

{{Notelist|25em}}

{{Reflist|3}}

• {{cite book |last= Richardson|first= Alan J.|editor1-last= Murphy|editor1-first= George J.|year= 1993|title= A History of Canadian Accounting Thought and Practice|chapter=Who Audits? The Emergence of Hegemony in the Ontario Accounting Profession|chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=O5_Wejf0764C&pg=PA209|location= New York|publisher= Garland|pages= 209{{en dash}}250|isbn= 978-0-8153-1248-2}}
• {{cite book|editor1-last= Chatfield|editor1-first= Michael|editor2-last= Vangermeersch|editor2-first= Richard|editor-link1= Michael Chatfield|editor-link2= Richard Vangermeersch|last= Richardson|first= Alan J.|year= 1996|title= History of Accounting: An International Encyclopedia|chapter= Canada|chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=DmnMAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA90|publisher= Routledge|pages= [https://archive.org/details/histaccounting00chat/page/89 89–92]|isbn= 978-0-8153-0809-6|url-access= registration|url= https://archive.org/details/histaccounting00chat/page/89}}
• {{cite journal|author= Alan J. Richardson|year= 2000|title= Building the Canadian Chartered Accountancy Profession: A Biography of George Edwards, FCA, CBE, LLD, 1861-1947|url= http://umiss.lib.olemiss.edu:82/record=b1029993|archive-url= https://archive.today/20140627160603/http://umiss.lib.olemiss.edu:82/record=b1029993|url-status= dead|archive-date= June 27, 2014|journal= Accounting Historians Journal|volume= 27|issue= 2|pages= 87{{en dash}}116|ref= {{harvid|Richardson|2000}}|doi= 10.2308/0148-4184.27.2.87|url-access= subscription}}
• {{cite journal |last= Parker|first= Robert H.|year= 2005|title= Naming and branding: accountants and accountancy bodies in the British Empire and Commonwealth, 1853{{en dash}}2003|journal= Accounting History|volume= 10|issue= 1|pages= 7{{en dash}}46|doi= 10.1177/103237320501000102|issn=1032-3732|citeseerx= 10.1.1.203.2075|s2cid= 145661298}}
• {{cite journal |last1= Richardson|first1= Alan J.|last2= Jones|first2= D.G. Brian|year= 2007|title= Professional "brand", personal identity and resistance to change in the Canadian accounting profession: a comparative history of two accounting association merger negotiations|journal= Accounting History|volume= 12|issue= 2|pages= 135{{en dash}}164|doi= 10.1177/1032373207076035|s2cid= 153432082|issn=1032-3732}}
• {{cite journal|last1=Richardson |first1=Alan J. |last2=Kilfoyle |first2=Eksa |year=2012 |title=Merging the Profession: A Historical Perspective on Accounting Association Mergers in Canada |url=https://www.caaa.ca/_files/file.php?fileid=filedmlUgRMwGK&filename=file_Richardson_Kilfoyle_2012_Merging_the_Profession_Feb_26_FINAL_edCB5.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922085915/https://www.caaa.ca/_files/file.php?fileid=filejLYKUsjpWO&filename=file_Richardson_Kilfoyle_2012_Merging_the_Profession_Feb_26_FINAL_edCB6.pdf |archive-date=2013-09-22 |url-status=dead |journal=Accounting Perspectives |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages= 77–109|doi= 10.1111/j.1911-3838.2012.00033.x|accessdate=1 May 2012 }}
• {{cite journal|last=List |first=Cary |year=2012 |title=The Case for Unifying a Profession |url=https://www.caaa.ca/_files/file.php?fileid=fileahyMQYlOmN&filename=file_The_Case_for_Unifying_a_Profession___List_edCB4.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922085915/https://www.caaa.ca/_files/file.php?fileid=fileahyMQYlOmN&filename=file_The_Case_for_Unifying_a_Profession___List_edCB4.pdf |archive-date=2013-09-22 |url-status=dead |journal=Accounting Perspectives |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages= 131–136|doi= 10.1111/j.1911-3838.2012.00035.x|accessdate=14 February 2014 }}
• {{cite journal|last1=Ryan |first1=Jo-Anne |last2=Lento |first2=Camillo |last3=Sayed |first3=Naqi |year=2012 |title=Some Unresolved Issues about the Proposed CPA Certification Program |url=https://www.caaa.ca/_files/file.php?fileid=fileUJTjfeNMSn&filename=file_Ryan_The_CPA_Certification_Process___Implications_for_Students__Academia__and_Training_Offices_v13_edCB4.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922085915/https://www.caaa.ca/_files/file.php?fileid=fileUJTjfeNMSn&filename=file_Ryan_The_CPA_Certification_Process___Implications_for_Students__Academia__and_Training_Offices_v13_edCB4.pdf |archive-date=2013-09-22 |url-status=dead |journal=Accounting Perspectives |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages= 137–144|doi= 10.1111/j.1911-3838.2012.00036.x|accessdate=26 May 2014 }}

• {{Official website|http://www.cpacanada.ca/}}
• {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615071320/http://visioncga.org:80/unification-information/ |date=15 June 2013 |title=Vision CGA: Unification Information }}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Canadian accounting associations

Category:Accounting qualifications