Original article: https://www.bccpa.ca/news,-events-publications/news/cpa-news/-chartered-professional-accountants-of-british-col/
CPABC one of largest professional bodies in western Canada
VANCOUVER, June 24, 2015—The President/Chairs and CEOs of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC (ICABC), Certified General Accountants Association of BC (CGA-BC), and Certified Management Accountants Society of BC (CMABC) are pleased to announce that the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC) has been established through legislation as of June 24, 2015.
“Our government responded to a call to unify three professional accounting bodies in B.C. by enacting the Chartered Professional Accountants Act that comes into force today,” said Advanced Education Minister Andrew Wilkinson. “This milestone also provides an opportunity to recognize the importance of the accounting profession in the many sectors of our strong and growing provincial economy.”
“Today the provincial government enacted CPA legislation, allowing the CAs, CMAs, and CGAs in B.C. to amalgamate, and establish CPABC – one of the largest professional organizations in the province,” said Dan Little, FCPA, FCA, President of ICABC. “By establishing CPABC as the only regulatory body for designated accountants we’ll be able to better protect the public interest. Marketplace confusion about the different accounting designations will also be eliminated.”
The CPA designation is Canada’s pre-eminent accounting and business designation. With more than 38,000 members and students in B.C., and over 190,000 members across Canada, CPAs are providing crucial financial expertise to businesses in every sector of the economy.
“The first CPA students started the CPA Professional Education Program in September 2013,” said Simon Philp, FCPA, FCMA, Chair, CMABC. “Now they can convocate as CPAs after successfully completing the program. The new CPA program builds on all three accounting designations’ strengths, and best prepares candidates to meet the needs of employers both here in B.C., Canada, and internationally.”
The CPA program is the key that opens the door to boundless career opportunities in business, public accounting, government, not-for-profit, and education. The profession is developing the next generation of B.C.’s business and accounting leaders in order to meet the economic needs of the province.
“We’re excited to have successfully arrived at this significant milestone, having merged all three accounting designations. It showcases our province’s leadership both here and across Canada,” said Brian Friedrich, FCPA, FCGA, Chair, CGA-BC. “We are building a new profession, one that we can all be proud of that honours our collective past while striving for a future that positions Canada and British Columbia on strong footing within the global business community.”
