What is a Certified General Accountant

Certified General Accountants (CGAs) are professional accountants who have acquired their accounting education through and are members of the Certified General Accountants Association.

Many CGAs own their own accounting firms and provide tax and financial advice to individuals and to businesses of all sizes. Other CGAs are employed in senior positions in industry, commerce, academia and government.

As trusted accounting professionals, CGAs offer the highest standards of expertise in taxation, finance, information technology and strategic business management. n today’s business world there is a growing demand for highly skilled financial professionals. Someone with the CGA designation bears the mark of professional competence, showing he or she has what it takes to exceed employer expectations.

The CGA designation is recognized throughout Canada and around the world as a pre-eminent standard of true excellence and professionalism in all aspects of finance and business management. CGAs are committed to continuing professional development and strictly adhere to one of Canada’s most highly respected codes of professional conduct. It is this level of attention to the development and maintenance of professional competence that has led the business, academic, and professional communities to hold the CGA designation in the highest regard.

In December 2002, the Ontario Legislature passed legislation which sets the stage to provide full access to public accounting licenses for qualified CGAs, CMAs and CAs. This new legislation turns a historic corner, in the reform of how licenses to practice public accounting in Ontario will be granted in the future.

The intention of the bill is to introduce a new set of high and internationally-recognized standards for access to public accounting practice. All fully qualified accountants from all three professional designations (CGAs, CMAs and CAs) who meet these new high standards, will be able to apply for licenses.