Legislation

Legislation FAQs

Now that CPA legislation has been proclaimed in Alberta, how can I start to use the CPA designation behind my name?

To learn about proper designation use, click here.

Have other provinces already completed legislation?

Unification has been passed in Quebec, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador.

I know colleagues in Ontario who are using the CPA designation, yet that province hasn’t changed legislation. How is that possible?

Because the designated accounting profession is regulated provincially, the paths to unification will vary from province to province. In Ontario, as well as in British Columbia, the profession has been granted the right to use the CPA designation even though legislation has not passed in those provinces. This right is based on the nature of existing legislation in those provinces.

Did members have a chance to vote on the changes to the legislation?

The legislation will be the Government of Alberta’s, not the profession’s. It is therefore not the profession’s legislation to vote on. Under current legislation, member votes were required for regulations and bylaws. Members were encouraged to vote on the regulations, bylaws and rules of professional conduct that were developed to complement the legislation.

How can I use CPA in my firm name?

To learn about proper designation use, click here.

Will the changes to legislation impact my inter-provincial or international mobility?

No. Provisions have been made to maintain member mobility into and out of Alberta. In fact, it is expected that unification under a single designation will create more-seamless mobility options for all members.

I know that legacy designations were also referenced in other pieces of legislation. Will those be updated to reflect the new CPA designation?

Yes. All legislation that mentioned any of the legacy bodies or designations will be updated to reflect the change to CPA.

Under the new legislation, will one body continue to both regulate and serve members?

Yes. The new CPA Alberta body will, like legacy bodies, be responsible for both regulating and providing services to members. The new legislation has the same goals and structure as the previous Regulated Accounting Profession Act.

What impact does the new legislation have on me?

The most visible impact of the legislation on members will be the ability to use the CPA designation. Legislation will also allow the profession to be more aggressive in branding the new CPA designation and informing members of the general public about the new designation. In addition, the creation of a new CPA Alberta body once legislation is proclaimed will also mean more uniformity in the services and resources members receive.

At one point, the profession was seeking to include compilations as a restricted activity under new legislation as a public-protection measure. Has the profession abandoned the pursuit of that change?

The Alberta Accountants Unification Agency (now CPA Alberta) and its legislative team discussed that measure with the Government of Alberta as part of its discussions on the legislation. Such a change would require significant public consultation. The view of the Alberta Accountants Unification Agency was that the completion of unification should not be stalled for this reason, so it advised the Government of Alberta that it will pursue this item at a later date, following passage and proclamation of the legislation.

Have questions about legislation or using the CPA designation? Contact us at unification@cpaalberta.ca.

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Indigenous Land Acknowledgement
CPA Alberta acknowledges that we reside on the traditional and ancestral
territories of many Indigenous, First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples.