There’s a good reason why Chartered Accountants have to go through such a rigorous process of education, training and work-experience: the job description is extensive.

The experience and expertise of a Chartered Accountant can be utilized to help small and large businesses alike, in a variety of areas, across all sectors and industries.

CAs do all the things you think we do; audits, financial statements, year-end projections. And yes we do like spreadsheets. And yes, everyone in the office has an adding machine. Or several.

But what might surprise you are all the things a CA can do beyond crunching numbers and preparing tax returns.

Strategic Advice
CAs are educated and trained to be business strategists – analyzing your business from inside and from out. To say we’ll look at all angles is true, but perhaps not powerful enough to describe the thoroughness in approach taken by a Chartered Accountant in assessing complex business situations and relationships.

CAs can leverage their expertise in risk management, financing, corporate governance, performance measurement, taxation and regulatory requirements to take a unique strategic view of the big picture for a company, or on behalf of a company.

Beyond formulating a strategy, a CA is the person to help implement strategic decisions at the ground level once they have been made. CAs know that people are the backbone of any organization, and that (strategic) success will ultimately be delivered by it employees. CAs can help a company create a working environment that maximizes its human resources.


Unique Insight
Chartered Accountants possess a unique insight into the corporate and financial world because of their education, training, and required on-the-job experience to earn the CA designation.

Becoming a CA is a labour of love. It’s an extensive process that includes receiving a University degree with specific business course credits and completing a provincially administered professional program. Next a CA will work under the guidance and supervision of an experienced CA, putting their education to practice in real world business situations and gaining valuable job training and firsthand business experience.

The process continues with prospective CAs required to write and pass the professional Uniform Evaluation examination. This has been recognized as one of the most comprehensive professional examinations in the world.

This is the solid foundation and training that CAs possess to begin their professional careers, and it allows them to take a broad perspective of both macro- and micro-issues.



Financial Expertise
Chartered Accountants are probably best known for their financial expertise, knowledge, and advice. CAs are consulted, and their skills are utilized by the private and public sectors, entrepreneurs and small businesses, medium to large enterprises, and both profit and non-profit organizations.

CAs are required by the profession to make a commitment to ongoing, career long learning and education. Members are encouraged to broaden their scope of knowledge, and do so with the assistance and support of their respective provincial and national professional governing institutes. CAs can then pass on this collective knowledge and information to their clients, employers, or employees.

The CA designation also has meaning beyond our shores. Canadian Chartered Accountants have long been respected worldwide as leaders in the field for our high ethical standards, commitment to excellence in service, and high quality of business skills. CAs, their clients and employers enjoy the benefits of longstanding international relationships and CICA has reciprocity agreements with many countries all over of the continents. As the global marketplace gets smaller, there is an ever greater need for the financial skills and international expertise a CA can provide.



How are CA's Different From Other Accountants?
That’s a good question, and one that we often hear from prospective clients. For a concise answer, we’ll defer to our provincial professional governing body – ICANS – for some specific differences:

1. CAs are the only professional accounting students required to train in an approved public practice firm, under the direct supervision of a member of their profession - resulting in the most in-depth experience and exposure to a variety of businesses, organizations and business structures.

2. CAs are the only Canadian accountants who must pass a comprehensive national uniform evaluation, known as the UFE, considered by many to be the most rigorous final exam in the world for professional accountants.

3. CAs are the only professional accountants who are authorized to practice all aspects of public accounting, including performing audits on public companies across Canada.

4. CAs set the accounting and auditing standards for Canada through the national membership body, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA).

5. "CA" is the most internationally recognized Canadian accounting designation.


We’ve quoted this list from ICANS web site: click here