Member Services

Working with Indigenous businesses is becoming more common for companies in BC. Here’s my personal experience working as a Cree Métis accountant, along with some ways that you can start working with Indigenous businesses. 

The ability to negotiate effectively is extremely important in our professional and personal worlds. When it comes to the workplace, competence in negotiating can be a key differentiator in the value you offer to their team.

Jane is otherwise known as Organized Jane, and she helps individuals and businesses declutter, organize processes, and reduce overwhelm both in their personal and professional lives.

When trying to communicate the message behind the numbers, many financial professionals miss the mark. Fortunately, there are some readily available tools—data visuals, or “dataviz” for short—that can help you communicate financial analyses effectively.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the mental wellbeing of many people. According to a Statistics Canada  survey on COVID-19 and mental health conducted in 2021, one-in-four Canadians aged 18 and older screened positive for symptoms of depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder (or PTSD), up from one-in-five in 2020.

As Canadians wrap up their personal income tax filings, it’s time for small business owners to focus on preparing their taxes as well. The deadline for self-employed individuals to file tax returns is June 15, 2022, and payment is due on May 2. 

An employee stock option plan could make up a substantial part of an employee’s total compensation package and provide them with a valuable tax deferral.

The new Competency Map lays the foundation for the CPA certification program. 
 

As ethical leaders and trusted advisors, CPAs rely on professional skills, values, ethics and attitudes to serve their organizations and clients.

One thing that’s been clear since the start of the pandemic is the importance of being agile and adaptable to change. Based on the past two years, we all know it’s impossible to predict how things will evolve.

The provincial government added the current temporary BC PST Rebate on Select Machinery and Equipment to its roster of COVID-19 tax incentives and benefits in March 2021. Since then, the BC Ministry of Finance has continued to update its webpage on the temporary rebate as additional details have become available.

CPAs in Canada are bound by a strict requirement of confidentiality that applies to all aspects of their professional work. In BC, the CPABC Code of Professional Conduct outlines the requirements and provides registrants with extensive guidance on this topic. In this article, we cover the major confidentiality rules in the CPA Code, describe situations that are prone to potential breaches of confidentiality, and provide some cautionary examples.

Succession planning is an important consideration for the founders and owners of family businesses, and the tax strategies available for selling shares to and purchasing shares from a third party versus a related party can vary significantly. Bill C-208 is intended to give families more flexibility to access certain tax advantages to facilitate intergenerational transfers of shares of small family businesses.

An expert presenter and thought leader on the intersection of accounting and technology, Garrett provides guidance to finance professionals worldwide on how to thrive in this digital age. 

COVID-19 impacts have put financial pressure on many businesses and not-for-profit organizations, especially in certain sectors, resulting in reduced revenues and cash pressures. And while the government has provided substantial funding assistance since the pandemic started, this support is now in sunset mode, which means more CPAs will likely have to help their employers or clients manage through cash difficulties.

A healthy balance sheet indicates to your shareholders, investors and lenders, and potential partners that your business is in strong financial health and provides confidence in how your business operates.

As the profession transforms to meet the future, CPAs need to evolve their skillsets to best serve clients and organizations.

Here's what CPABC members had to say about the future landscape for employers and employees.

How do you bring more value to your role? For today’s CFO, the expectation is not only to provide counsel to the CEO, but also to identify strategic opportunities for the business that will produce evolution and growth and lead to new opportunities.

Like many industries, accounting could be at risk of falling behind if it doesn’t stay afloat with technological progress. 

The pandemic has reshaped the way employees work. Many have been forced to work remotely, and some have chosen to relocate. But necessity has borne some interesting insights.

We’ve all heard that it’s what’s on the inside that counts. And when it comes to getting healthy, this saying couldn’t be more accurate.

You probably know this already – but you may be getting too many emails. If this resonates, you are not alone.

One silver lining that has emerged over the past year is that the majority of organizations have realized the value of digital efforts—from client service to marketing to stakeholder engagement—and are putting resources into planning and implementing them.

If there’s one thing business leaders have learned over the last 12 months, it’s that they need to be prepared for the unexpected. The rapid emergence of COVID-19 and its subsequent impact on businesses across industries underscored.

Did you know that Canada has both a national mental health strategy and a National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace?

Growing your business can be both an exciting and a terrifying thought. How do you know when is the right time?

We have been living in this new COVID-19 normal for over a year now. With events and workplaces remaining virtual and remote, are you finding it increasingly difficult to maintain connections with your existing network as well as build new meaningful connections? If the answer is yes, you are not alone.

Imagine a future where audits can be done easily and quickly. All your ledgers, journal entries, donations, and other transactions are connected, sorted, and verified on the spot.

The recent economic downturn may bring forth unexpected tax issues. As creditors become more inclined to forgive or settle debt without full or even partial repayment, more corporations may find that they are settling debt for less than the principal amount.

Like 79% of small businesses in Canada, Old Salty, a gift shop on Salt Spring Island, was not fully open this past spring. However, when they reopened their doors in the middle of May business quickly ramped up, and by July sales were 75% of the prior year’s and increasingly steadily. 

In the face of COVID-19, businesses – and even entire industries – that were formerly profitable now face upheaval. 

Imagine you start your workday by checking your voice messages; among them is one from your boss instructing you to perform a certain task. You complete the task and email her to confirm that you’ve received her message and finished the task. 

During an economic downturn such as the one in which we currently find ourselves, many taxpayers focus on finding cost-cutting measures, including opportunities to decrease their immediate tax burdens. What may not be top of mind, however, are opportunities to minimize future tax burdens by freezing or refreezing an estate.

Many business leaders and accounting professionals are wondering how best to recover from the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic and set their organizations up for success in the uncertain months and years ahead.

During times of significant pressure, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, it can be a challenge dealing with additional stressors on top of the usual professional and personal responsibilities. Nevertheless, CPA members are still expected to meet professional standards. In crises, the public relies on professionals even more!

Governance education in Canada took root in the early 2000s in the wake of the institutionalized fraud and corruption that plagued North American corporations. Most notably, the Enron scandal that resulted in the loss of billions in pensions and stock prices, and drove the creation of new regulations and legislation to increase accountability, highlighted the need for stronger board governance.

"The underlying premise for diverse boards is no longer about good corporate citizenship, but rather about contributing value to a business." Deborah Rosati, founder & CEO, Women Get on Board

Music is more accessible today than ever. With just a few clicks, businesses can access any type of music imaginable.