| Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants | |
| Abbreviation: | CICA |
| Predecessor: | Dominion Association of Chartered Accountants |
| Status: | Incorporated by Private Act (SC 1902, c. 58) |
| Headquarters: | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Region: | Canada, Bermuda |
| Membership: | 78,000 |
| Language: | English, French |
| Owners: | --> |
| Leader Title: | Chair |
| Leader Name: | Bill MacKinnon |
| Leader Title2: | Vice Chair |
| Leader Name2: | Shelley Brown |
| Leader Title3: | President and CEO |
| Leader Name3: | Kevin Dancey |
The Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA) was incorporated by an Act of the Parliament of Canada in 1902,[1] which later became known as the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants Act.[2]
The CICA developed and supported accounting, auditing and assurance standards for organizations in Canada, developed and delivered education programs, and issued the professional designation of Chartered Accountant. The CICA was a founding member of the International Federation of Accountants and the Global Accounting Alliance.
In 2014, CICA merged with Canada's two other major accounting designations to form the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada.[3]
CAs are admitted to the profession through their Provincial Institutes/Ordre. These bodies are responsible for establishing and administering the qualification process, admission criteria and performance standards within their jurisdictions.
Pre-qualification education is delivered regionally through one of four systems across Canada:
| Region | Education provider | |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic provinces | Atlantic School of Chartered Accountancy | |
| Quebec | Professional Education Program of the Ordre des comptables agréés du Québec | |
| Ontario | CPA Ontario School of Accountancy | |
| British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the territories | CA School of Business |
The CICA's role – in concert with all provinces, territories – is to develop and maintain consistent, uniform standards for the profession's qualification process. These standards ensure the portability of the CA designation across Canada and internationally through various mutual recognition agreements.
Admission to the CA profession requires:
The CICA itself does not admit members and students; its membership is derived from membership in one of the 10 provincial and two territorial institutes of chartered accountants and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bermuda. The institutes are empowered by local laws to regulate and govern the chartered accountancy profession within their jurisdictions. Individuals holding foreign accountancy designations who want to become a Canadian Chartered Accountant must apply to the institute in the jurisdiction where they live or intend to live.
The CICA works in partnership with and on behalf of the institutes to:
Credentials of foreign-trained accountants are assessed according to the following categories:[10]
| Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Designated Accounting Bodies | These designated accounting bodies are considered by the Canadian CA profession to be substantially equivalent. Members of these accounting bodies generally qualify for membership in the Canadian CA profession with minimal additional requirements. | |
| Accounting Bodies with Reciprocal Membership Agreements | ||
| Non-Equivalent Accounting Bodies | These accounting bodies have been reviewed by IQAB and their qualification processes have been determined not to be equivalent to the Canadian qualification process. | |
| Accounting Bodies Currently Under Review | ||
| Members of Non-Assessed Accounting Bodies | Individuals who are members of professional accounting bodies which have not been reviewed by IQAB, or who are not members in any professional accounting body can request individual assessment by the appropriate PICA/Ordre. This review will identify any additional education, examination and/or experience requirements the individual must complete to qualify for membership in the Canadian CA profession. |
Assessments of foreign bodies, and negotiations of Mutual Recognition agreements are conducted by the profession's International Qualifications Appraisal Board (IQAB), the current status of which is as follows:
| Escutcheon: | Azure two quills in saltire Or, a bordure Argent set with ten maple leaves Proper. |
| Crest: | = Two maple leaves Or in front of a balance Sable. |
| Motto: | Probos Et Utilis |
| Notes: | Recorded at the College of Arms 20 November 1961.[11] |
| Province | Institute/Ordre | |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | The Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia | |
| Alberta | The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta | |
| Saskatchewan | The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Saskatchewan | |
| Manitoba | Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba | |
| Ontario | Chartered Professional Accountants Ontario | |
| Quebec | Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec | |
| New Brunswick | The New Brunswick Institute of Chartered Accountants | |
| Nova Scotia | The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nova Scotia | |
| Prince Edward Island | Institute of Chartered Accountants of Prince Edward Island | |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Newfoundland and Labrador | |
| Yukon | Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Yukon Territory | |
| Northwest TerritoriesNunavut | Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut | |
| Bermuda | Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bermuda |