Founded in 1908, the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada (CGA-Canada) serves Certified General Accountants and students in Canada and nearly 100 countries. CGA-Canada established the designation's certification requirements and professional standards, offers professional development, conducts research and advocacy, and represents CGAs nationally and internationally. CGA-Canada joined the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) to integrate operations under the CPA banner in 2015. CPA Canada is the new national accounting body formed by the merger of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA) and the Society of Certified Management Accountants (CMA) in 2013, and now Certified General Accountants. In October 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 CGA-Canada was named one of "Canada's Top 100 Employers" by Mediacorp Canada Inc., CGA-Canada has also been named one of "BC's Top Employers" and one of "Canada's Greenest Employers". History The national association, first known as the Canadian Accountants' Association, was founded in 1908 by a trio of Canadian Pacific Railway accountants in Montreal, Quebec. Five years later, in 1913, the General Accountants' Association, as it was then known, was granted a charter from the government of Canada. By the mid-1940s, association chapters were established from coast-to-coast. Provincial, territorial and regional (offshore) chapters were later established under their own charters. Auditing rights are regulated by provincial governments. In Prince Edward Island, only qualified CAs and CGAs can perform public accounting and auditing in accordance with the Public Accounting and Auditing Act. In all other provinces, except Quebec and Ontario (detailed below), only qualified CAs, CGAs, and CMAs (Certified Management Accountants) may audit public companies. 1948 Bilingual origins: Examinations are offered in English and French in Quebec. The move to a bilingual organization is underway. 1950s CGA-British Columbia and the University of British Columbia's School of Commerce develop an innovative five-year extension program, available on campus or by correspondence. The program is later adopted in other jurisdictions and becomes a national curriculum standard. 1964 Education program goes international: The education program is extended to the Caribbean and Bermuda. 1974 Code of Ethics enshrined: CGA-Canada approves what would become the Code of Ethical Principles and Rules of Conduct. 1977 Founding member of IFAC: CGA-Canada becomes a founding member of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). 1982 Name change to the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada. 1988 John Leslie's award: The John Leslie Award is established in honour of the association's founding president and