If you've come across the designations CA, CGA, or CMA, you've seen the predecessors to today's unified Canadian accounting credential: the Chartered Professional Accountant, or CPA. The three legacy bodies merged into a single national designation over the course of the 2010s.

A CPA has met rigorous education, examination, and experience requirements, and is required to maintain ongoing professional development to stay current — not a one-time credential, but an ongoing standard.

CPAs work across every area of business and finance: audit, taxation, financial management, and general business advisory. Working with a CPA means working with someone held to a professional standard, not just someone who's good with numbers.