CPAs must continually enhance their knowledge and expertise to remain at the forefront of today’s competitive market.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is learning that develops and maintains professional competence to enable members to continue to perform their professional roles. Any learning and development that is relevant and appropriate to a member’s work, professional responsibilities, and growth as a CPA will qualify for CPD.
CPA Alberta does not pre-determine how much CPD is gained at an activity, nor does the organization pre-determine what qualifies as CPD for each individual CPA.
CPA Alberta follows the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) criteria for CPD, and is working towards harmonizing exemption and qualifying activities for verifiable and non-verifiable CPD with provincial CPA organizations across Canada.
To complete your CPD declaration by the March 1 deadline, review the step-by-step instructions, or log in to CPA Alberta, using your login credentials. If you do not remember these, please use the retrieve login or retrieve password on the login screen. Every member must complete the CPD declaration annually, even if your situation from previous years remains the same.
CPD Requirements
- All members are required to make a CPD Declaration annually, regardless of any previously declared exemptions or change of employment status.
- CPD reporting period is based on the calendar year (Jan 1 - Dec 31);
- A declaration must be made for both annual and three-year rolling requirements;
- Each member must complete a minimum of 20 hours of CPD annually of which 10 hours must be verifiable;
- Each member must complete 120 hours over a three-year rolling cycle (current year and prior two years), of which 60 hours must be verifiable and four of those verifiable hours must be in the area of professional ethics;
- Reporting will consist of Comply, Non-comply, or Exempt declaration;
- Members are required to retain CPD records for a minimum of five years. CPA Alberta may request these records at any time.
Reporting Timelines
- The CPD declaration is available on the Member Portal in November of each calendar year and members will receive an email notification when available;
- Members will have until March 1st following the calendar year to report CPD;
- Failure to report CPD by March 1 will result in a penalty ($150);
- Failure to report CPD and pay penalty within 30 days will result in the member being suspended;
- Failure to report CPD and pay penalties within 60 days of suspension will result in membership being cancelled and ineligibility for continuing registration.
CPD Audit
CPA Alberta will conduct a random audit of members' CPD reporting each year. In addition to the random selection, members may be 'manually' (individually) selected for an audit of their CPD learning activities. Manual selection may be directed by the Registration Committee, Practice Review Committee, Registrar, Professional Standards or other means.
Of those members randomly selected for audit of their CPD compliance:
- 25% will be required to produce source documentation evidence of verifiable CPD.
- 75% will be required to report on learning activity details.
Of those members manually selected for audit of their CPD compliance, typically they will be required to produce source documentation evidence of CPD.
Chartered Professional Accountants Regulation 17 (1) (b) requires that each member keep records of CPD completed annually for at least five years; and that CPD records must be made available to the CPA Alberta upon request.
CPD Videos
Find out more about CPD and its requirements.