617 Quebec candidates pass the Uniform Evaluation for the CPA, CA path

Montreal, November 29, 2013 – The results of the 2013 Uniform Evaluation (UFE) for the CPA, CA path, a major milestone in the CPA qualification process, were released this morning. The Ordre des CPA du Québec proudly recognizes the success of no less than 617 Quebec candidates at this national exam. The energy and effort these future chartered professional accountants invested in preparing for the UFE and also throughout their studies have brought them one step closer to a profession that inspires confidence and demonstrates leadership.

“The accounting profession in Quebec can boast about a new generation that will meet the highest standards of integrity and rigour. These future CPAs will undoubtedly leave their mark in their respective professional activities. The excellence they demonstrated by passing this exam is a guarantee of the quality of the work they will carry out when they officially become members of the Order,” said Stephan Robitaille, FCPA, FCGA, Chair of the Order.

Passing the UFE is the culmination of a long process, requiring candidates to work and prepare for many hours. “The remarkable support provided by training employers and university faculty throughout this journey has contributed significantly to these 617 success stories,” said Mr. Robitaille.

National Honour Roll

This year, eight Quebec candidates made the National Honour Roll, which lists the 50 students from across Canada who achieved the best standing. “The exceptional performance of these future chartered professional accountants on this national exam demonstrates once again the vitality and dynamism of Quebec’s next generation. These results reflect the professionalism that already drives those who will use the CPA designation in the coming years,” said Daniel McMahon, FCPA, FCA, the Order’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

Francis Corriveau-Sauvé, an HEC Montréal graduate and trainee at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Montreal, was awarded the Gold Medal for Quebec and a $2,500 cash prize by the national organization for the highest standing in Quebec. He will also receive a $1,500 cash prize from the CPA Foundation, as will seven other Quebec candidates who made the National Honour Roll, i.e.:

Maude Arcand, École des sciences de la gestion, Université du Québec à Montréal
PricewaterhouseCoopers, Montreal

Christine Bussière, HEC Montréal
Auditor General of Quebec, Montreal

Bianca Di Pierro, Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University
PricewaterhouseCoopers, Montreal

Shayne Huneault, Université du Québec en Outaouais
Piché & Lacroix CPA inc., Maniwaki

Marie-France Lafortune, HEC Montréal
KPMG, Montreal

Nadia Mc Kinney, Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University
PricewaterhouseCoopers, Montreal

Stéphanie Warthold, HEC Montréal
Deloitte, Montreal

The UFE: a rigorous competency-based evaluation

The three-day Uniform Evaluation is held simultaneously across Canada. The purpose of the UFE is to measure candidates' ability to integrate their knowledge and skills as well as to analyze, process and effectively communicate financial information. Future CPAs must demonstrate that they have acquired the competencies needed to become professional accountants and to work in public practice, in industry, and in public and parapublic sector organizations.

The exam’s subject matter includes assurance, financial performance measurement and reporting, governance, strategy and risk management, corporate finance, management decision-making and taxation. At the end this exam and the training period, candidates can use the CPA, CA designation.

A choice profession

The accounting profession is an exciting and attractive career choice for students thanks to diverse employment prospects, a very high placement rate and quality training, as evidenced by this fall’s 7% increase in registrations in programs leading to the CPA designation. The rigorous and demanding university curriculum that leads to the chartered professional accountant designation is a guarantee of credibility in the job market.

About the Ordre des CPA du Québec
The Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec has over 36,000 members and 7,000 future CPAs. The Order ensures the protection of the public and the visibility of the profession. It represents all areas of expertise of the accounting profession, including assurance, financial accounting, management and management accounting, finance and taxation.