CPA Canada congratulates 6,163 successful CFE writers

TORONTO, Nov. 30, 2018 /CNW/ - Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) applauds the 6,163 individuals who passed this year's Common Final Examination (CFE).

"The CFE is recognized as a rigorous and challenging test, so all of the individuals who passed are to be commended on their knowledge, skills and dedication," says Joy Thomas, president and CEO, CPA Canada. "These devoted individuals have achieved a significant milestone on the path to attaining the prestigious CPA designation that can open the doors to many exciting career opportunities. The discipline, integrity and critical thinking that define Canadian CPAs are valued by employers in today's ever-evolving economy."

The CFE is a three-day evaluation designed to assess candidates' knowledge, judgement and ethics. It is a critical component of the Canadian CPA certification program, a comprehensive and rigorous process designed to create collaborative, strategic decision makers who, during the course of their careers, will fill business and accounting leadership roles in organizations of all types and sizes.

Only those individuals who complete the entire qualification program ? consisting of education, experience and examination ? are entitled to use the CPA designation.

This year, the Common Final Examination's top writer hails from Toronto. As the recipient of this year's Governor General's Gold Medal award, Lawrence (Qianyu) Zhang of MNP LLP receives a cash prize of $5,000.

"The CPA path developed my technical expertise in a variety of subjects, such as audit, tax, finance and strategy," says Lawrence. "It also had an additional focus on enabling competencies such as problem-solving, teamwork and communication. These skills will help me prepare for a successful career in any industry and will be useful in other opportunities such as volunteering."

CFE HONOUR ROLL HIGHLIGHTS

The CPA Canada regional Gold Medal awards (and cash prizes of $2,500) for achieving the highest standing go to:

• Atlantic Canada: Bradley Smith, Auditor General of New Brunswick, Fredericton
• Quebec: Michael Richardson, KPMG s.r.l./S.E.N.C.R.L, Montreal
• Western Canada: Ande Baweja, Airbnb, Montreal

For a complete list of honour roll members, comprised of the top one percent of successful writers, please visit cpacanada.ca/CFEHonourRollList.

About CPA Canada

Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) is one of the largest national accounting organizations in the world, representing more than 210,000 members. Domestically, CPA Canada works cooperatively with the provincial and territorial CPA bodies who are charged with regulating the profession. Globally, it works together with the International Federation of Accountants and the Global Accounting Alliance to build a stronger accounting profession worldwide. CPA Canada, created through the unification of three legacy accounting designations, is a respected voice in the business, government, education and non-profit sectors and champions sustainable economic growth and social development. The unified organization is celebrating five years of serving the profession, advocating for the public interest and supporting the setting of accounting, auditing and assurance standards. CPA Canada develops leading edge thought-leadership, research, guidance and educational programs to ensure its members are equipped to drive success and shape the future. cpacanada.ca

SOURCE CPA Canada