CGA Ontario Celebrates the Right to License CGAs as Public Accountants

TORONTO, June 23 /CNW/ - The Certified General Accountants of Ontario (CGA Ontario), the self-governing body that grants the exclusive right to the CGA designation, has been granted the authority to license certified general accountants (CGAs) to practise public accounting. The Certified General Accountants of Ontario and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario are the only two accounting bodies in Ontario authorized to license their members to practise public accounting.

Those seeking the services of an independent accountant will now have more choice and better access to those services.

"Certified general accountants can now be licensed as public accountants - which includes the right to issue audit reports in Ontario - a function CGAs in the rest of Canada already perform," says Doug Brooks, FCGA, chief executive officer for the Certified General Accountants of Ontario. "Our authorization to issue these licences speaks to the professional expertise and skill that CGAs bring to their work in all sectors of the economy and to the rigour of the professional requirements that they must meet."

The Association is proud of its contribution to reforms in the regulation of public accounting, resulting in licences being awarded based on qualification, not designation, and better access and more choice for those who use public accounting services.

"CGAs offer a broad range of services to clients and employers in all areas of professional practice," said Frank Mensink, FCGA, chair of the board of directors, CGA Ontario. "The fact that CGAs are entitled to fully practise in whatever segment of the profession that they choose is a significant point in history, one that will benefit the province of Ontario."

CGA Ontario continues to build on its strengths and to explore new opportunities for CGAs, while working with the other accounting bodies on public policy and standard setting, both nationally and internationally.

About the Certified General Accountants of Ontario:

Certified General Accountants of Ontario is the self-governing body that grants the exclusive right to the CGA designation, and controls the rigorous professional standards of accreditation and professionalism in accounting for its 20,000 CGAs and 8,000 students who are working towards their CGA designation in Ontario, in protection of the public interest.

For further information: Certified General Accountants of Ontario, Amy Mulhern, Manager of Public Relations, Phone: [phone] or 1-800-668-1454, ext. 8311, Mobile: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]