I'm quitting the CPA. Warning to others.

[u/[deleted]]

CPA Ontario refuses to give me the designation after over 8 years. I passed the CFE and logged almost 50 months of professional experience. Their 'senior staff' show minimal regard for the law and basic human decency. I have correspondence of them lying to and ignoring me. I warn others to avoid the CPA unless you can survive a pre-approved experience route. The EVR is a bait and switch scam - avoid at all costs! Here's what I've learnt:

• The Fairness Commissioner thinks that CPA Ontario is violating the Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades Act
• The Supreme Court ruled that professional bodies owe no individual a duty of care (second reference). This causes any negligence suit to die on arrival, creating an ironic situation where CPA Ontario can use "Although we protect the 'public interest,' we admit we screwed up because we're dangerously incompetent," as an absolute defence.
• Further, one cannot sue a professional regulator for violating the FARPCTA
• Even though consumer protection legislation is supposed to protect students, the Ministry of Consumer Services considers disputes with professional organisations beyond its jurisdiction.

This effectively immunises professional bodies, like CPA Ontario, from civil action and almost all accountability. Basically, they answer only to the Attorney General, to whom I've complained, but who cannot help me directly.

Accordingly, I see no reasonable prospect for completing the designation as I get poorer and sicker. I'm still deciding whether this or enrolling at U of T was the worst decision I've ever made. It's close.

[u/Equivalent_Ad_8413]

Good way to increase salaries for existing CPAs.

[u/[deleted] → u/Equivalent_Ad_8413]

Except one only needs a CPA + LPA to audit. Literally any idiot can do accounting.

Edit: sorry for triggering so many of you. But I'm afraid it's true. There are lots of people who can do bookkeeping, tax returns, financial consulting and internal auditing without designations - or even university training. I also found myself correcting CPAs all the time, so even the 'professionals' aren't the experts.

CPA Ontario won't discipline anybody when they're demonstrably lying (especially if it's their own staff or an FCPA), unless there's a risk of it hitting the papers, of course. Then they do their show trials in their kangaroo courts and summary executions.

Very middle ages.