Under the Chartered Professional Accountants Act (CPA Act), in Alberta, audit and review services are restricted to CPA Alberta registered professional accounting firms (PAFs) – this applies to firms located within and outside of Canada that are providing these services to an Alberta client.
There are various factors considered in determining whether a client is an Alberta client. When considering each specific engagement, factors considered include, but are not limited to:
- Incorporation
- Company operations
- Place of business
- Customers served
- Mind and management
- Location of records
- Performance of audit and/or review work
- Place of issuance of auditor’s and/or reviewer’s report
CPA Alberta must consider each specific situation to accurately conclude whether it is an Alberta client and whether registration is required.
Firms registered with an organization outside Canada that regulates accounting and that CPA Alberta has established either a Reciprocal Membership Agreement (RMA) or a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with may be eligible to register a PAF with CPA Alberta under Section 53 of the CPA Act.
Please contact CPA Alberta’s Corporate Registrations Team via email at PAF@cpaalberta.ca to determine whether your intended service offerings would require registration in Alberta and to be provided with the necessary documents for completion.