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Queen's Park Adopts Labour Mobility Exception for Public Accounting in Ontario
The Government of Ontario has adopted a "legitimate objective" exception for this province's system of public accounting qualification and regulation under the terms of the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT).
Adoption of the exception means that the qualification and regulatory standards established by the Public Accountants Council for the Province of Ontario (PAC) will be safeguarded from the "automatic certification" provisions under Chapter 7 of the AIT, as the Institute has long sought. All entrants to Ontario from jurisdictions with less stringent regulatory regimes will therefore be required to demonstrate that they meet the PAC's standards for public accounting qualification and regulation as a requirement of licensure in this province.
The government’s adoption of the public accounting exception corresponds with passage of the Ontario Labour Mobility Act, 2009 (Bill 175). Under the legislation, workers certified in any Canadian province or territory can be employed in Ontario without additional training or testing – unless an exception is provided for. Exceptions have been granted for six occupations, including public accounting, to protect the public.
The Institute has committed to the Government of Ontario that it, along with the CA profession across the country, would continue efforts to promote and establish comparable, legislated and nationally consistent standards for all Canadian public accountants, as a permanent solution to the challenge of unfettered labour mobility for those who seek to practise alongside Chartered Accountants.
For more information on the six exceptions specified in the Ontario Labour Mobility Act, 2009, visit the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ web page on the Agreement on Internal Trade.