PICPA Vancouver History

Being an immigrant, our founding President, Marissa Bustamante Velarde, saw the need for a PICPA Chapter in Vancouver, Canada. With the increasing number of Filipino CPAs in Vancouver, Marissa sounded off her idea for a PICPA Chapter. New immigrants who are members of the Institute positively received this idea and on summer of 2002 the first organizational meeting was held at Marissa’s home attended by five committed women, namely, Gloria Abaga, Shirley Bellido, Elizabeth Dee, Iris Dupaya, and Elsie Edillor.

Subsequent organizational meetings have increasing attendance. On November 2, 2002, 21 members signed the petition to organize the Chapter. With the guidance and support of Mr. Roland Ditan, President of PICPA California-San Francisco Chapter and Mr. Romy De Guzman, founding President of PICPA Los Angeles USA Chapter, our final Letter of Intent to Organize PICPA Canada (Vancouver) Chapter was submitted on January 23, 2003. PICPA Vancouver Canada Chapter was endorsed and approved by the PICPA National Board of Directors on their meeting on March 22, 2003 under Board Resolution RBM No. 03-03-05.

The Chapter officers and members immediately started going into action with general membership meetings, professional development seminars, bowling tournaments, Christmas parties and participation in the Philippine Independence Day celebration. The Chapter attended the 2nd PICPA-IARC International Conference in New York and the 1st Global Convention in Las Vegas, USA. To raise funds, the Chapter have the annual dinner and dance which were well attended by the Filipino communities and Canadian friends around the city.

On January 30, 2004 PICPA Vancouver Canada received its Certificate of Incorporation from the Province of British Columbia, Canada. And on May 2007, the Certified General Accountants (CGA) of British Columbia started recognizing PICPA Vancouver Canada. CGA required all its new Philippine CPA enrolees to provide a certificate of good standing from PICPA Vancouver. With this current development membership has increased.

Four years later, PICPA Vancouver Canada have grown to 83 members, out of this number 68 are active members extending assistance to the members and newly landed PICPA immigrants in terms of job search, employment referrals, guidance in the practice of accounting in Canada and updates in Canadian tax system.

With the continuous amnesty being granted by PICPA National we hope to see our membership rise to 100 before the end of the year and hopefully by 2008 to 150 members.