Disclosures Consultation
CPAB has implemented the final phase of its multi-year project to enhance the information that we disclose.
Over the past several years, CPAB has introduced the following new disclosures:
- Individual public inspection reports, including firm name and inspection results for the most recent inspection year.
- Note that under amended Rule 413, a participating audit firm may not publish or extract portions of any of CPAB’s inspection reports without CPAB’s consent
- Mandated disclosure of reporting issuer-specific inspection results to their audit committee.
- Significant enforcement actions imposed on a firm
- Recommendations which were included in a firm report but not addressed by the firm
- For a full timeline of this project, click here.
CPAB also implemented changes required to improve operational efficiency and administrative processes.
CPAB believes these changes will provide greater transparency for the investing public, audit committee chairs and other stakeholders, and support CPAB’s oversight of public accounting firms that audit Canadian reporting issuers.
Timeline of disclosures project and changes
2021 | CPAB consulted stakeholders regarding the information we disclose about the results of our regulatory assessments. |
2022 | CPAB published intended changes, outlining changes that could be implemented immediately and changes requiring amendments to CPAB’s rules and legislation. |
2023 | CPAB implemented first round of disclosure changes. As a result, CPAB began disclosing (i) significant enforcement actions imposed on a firm and (ii) recommendations which were included in a firm report but not addressed by the firm. |
2024 | Changes to improve operational effectiveness and administrative practices came into effect. Changes to CPAB’s Rules and Legislation came into effect. |
2025 | CPAB’s Protocol became mandatory and audit firms are now required to disclose reporting issuer-specific inspection results to the reporting issuer’s audit committee. |
2026 | CPAB begins publishing individual firm inspection reports for each participating audit firm inspected in a given year. |
Looking ahead
These changes were made in the interest of improving transparency for the investing public, audit committee chairs and other stakeholders. CPAB will engage with stakeholders to seek feedback on the effectiveness of the disclosure changes and how the process associated with the publication of the results of our regulatory assessments are functioning.
Additional information
For more information on the consultation process and feedback received, please refer to the documents linked below.
2023 Rule change consultation documents
- Request for comment on CPAB proposed rule changes – September 2023
- CPAB proposed rule changes summary – September 2023
- CPAB proposed rule changes blackline – September 2023
- CPAB proposed Participation Agreement changes blackline – September 2023
2023 Rule change consultation written responses
Disclosures consultation updates
- Update: Approval of rule and legislative amendments for disclosure-related changes – March 2025
- Update: Approval of rule changes to improve operational effectiveness and administrative practices – November 2024
- Update on CPAB's proposed rule changes – March 2024
- CPAB Disclosures project update – June 2023
- CPAB's disclosure recommendations – September 2022
- CPAB 2021 Disclosures Public Consultation - Update on feedback received and next steps – March 2022