FAQs – Continuing Professional Development

Visit the provincial and regional accounting bodies’ websites at the links below.

• CPA Ontario CPD
• CPA BC CPD (includes Yukon)
• CPA Alberta CPD
• CPA Manitoba CPD
• CPA Saskatchewan CPD
• CPA Quebec CPD
• CPA New Brunswick CPD
• CPA Nova Scotia CPD
• CPA Prince Edward Island CPD
• CPA Newfoundland and Labrador CPD
• CPA Northwest Territories/Nunavut CPD
• CPA Bermuda CPD

If you participated in a course, webinar, conference, or seminar, that would constitute verifiable CPD.  Hours spent attending the course, webinar, conference, or seminar provided that you are learning as well as hours spent preparing or studying for the course, conference, seminar or exam (to a maximum of 5 hours prep time for each hour of participation) would qualify as verifiable CPD.

You must have documentation from an independent provider to confirm your professional development hours.  Examples of acceptable documentation:

• Copy of course payment/invoice
• Certificate of completion or official transcript
• Confirmation of participation by provider or employer
• Attendance record (e.g., sign-in sheet)
• Course or exam results, confirmation of designation or certification
• For prep/study hours, you would also need to provide a log of your prep/study hours in addition to one of the above pieces of documentation.

Other activities, such as teaching a course, participation as a speaker at a conference, participation on a board or technical committee, and conducting research are also examples of verifiable CPD.  For more information, visit your provincial and regional accounting bodies’ websites (see above).

Professional ethics is the study of the values that guide the choices and behaviours of professionals.  Professional ethics CPD must be relevant to your responsibilities and competencies, and help you to make decisions based on your moral principles.

Examples of professional ethics topics include, not are not limited to, the following:

• Provincial regulatory updates covering the Act, Bylaws, Regulations and Code of Professional Conduct
• Regulatory updates that are relevant and appropriate to the member’s role or industry
• Corporate codes of conduct
• Independence / conflicts of interest
• Ethical business culture
• Corporate social responsibility
• Whistleblowing
• Anti-money-laundering
• Bribery and corruption, etc.