The Certified General Accountants Association was founded in Montreal by John Leslie, Assistant Comptroller of the Canadian Pacific Railway, to help accountants enhance their professional skills. The association enjoyed considerable popularity, and five years later, on April 14, 1913, was incorporated by the House of Commons.
The Program of Professional Studies
The Program of Professional Studies began in 1910 as a series of courses to sharpen members’ skills. The program evolved over the next four decades, and in 1950, a standardized, nation-wide curriculum developed with the University of British Columbia was introduced.
Today, the program boasts 26,000 students. Competency based learning through online education that allows students to earn while they learn attracts mature students, university graduates, and those just finishing high school. Partnerships with major universities and colleges that offer students and members online university degrees are an added incentive for those looking to fast-track their career.
Coast-to-coast Membership
The Association grew significantly in the first half of the twentieth century, and with that growth came unique regional and national requirements. The provincial and territorial branches sought and received their own government charters beginning in the 1950s, and a 1991 Affiliation Agreement between the national organization and the provincial and territorial chapters further defined the roles and responsibilities of each party. This agreement has strengthened the Association at the provincial, national and international levels, allowing it to better meet its mandate on all fronts. It also provided the foundation for the Association as a whole to work toward the goal of full practice rights for CGAs in every province.
Speaking out for members and the public
As the national and international spokesperson for the CGA designation,
CGA-Canada contributes to accounting standards through its relationships with accounting organizations in Canada and abroad.
CGA-Canada also works on behalf of its members to raise issues of concern and to advance the public interest.
The Future
Today, CGA-Canada works closely with the Provincial CGA Associations to ensure that CGA will be recognized as a leading national and international accounting designation and that the principles laid out in the Association’s mission statement will successfully carry the organization into a second century of service.
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