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AcSB

User Advisory Committee

About the Advisory Committee

The Accounting Standards Board (AcSB) established a User Advisory Committee in October 2004 to increase financial statement user participation in the accounting standard-setting process. The objective of accounting standards is to meet the needs of users of financial statements by providing the information they require to make informed decisions. However, users of financial information are a disparate and widely dispersed group, and they generally do not participate as actively in the standard-setting process as do other stakeholders like preparers and auditors.

Staff Contact(s)

Matthew Bishop, CPA, CA Principal, Accounting Standards Board

Purpose

The purpose of the Committee is to assist the AcSB in understanding how users, including investors and investment professionals, credit granters in financial institutions, equity and credit analysts, and rating agencies, use financial information. The Committee is also intended to assist the AcSB by providing advice on standard-setting priorities, and on specific agenda projects.

Feedback from the user community will assist the AcSB in developing high-quality accounting standards that provide useful and reliable information at reasonable cost. The AcSB evaluates all proposals in terms of their expected costs and benefits. The views of the Committee are expected to be particularly helpful to the AcSB in evaluating the potential benefits of proposed new and revised disclosures.

Process

In the early phases of a project, the AcSB expects the Committee would provide its views to help identify issues, alternative approaches, and priorities. As a project moves through the deliberative process, the Committee will be consulted on key issues, particularly as they affect users of financial statements. After the AcSB has issued an exposure draft, the AcSB might consult the Committee regarding comments received from users and others.

Membership

Membership of the User Advisory Committee will generally comprise a Chair, Vice Chair and 20-30 professionals representing a variety of investment and analytical disciplines. Barring unusual circumstances, the Committee meets three times a year. Meetings are not open to the public.

In addition to members, the AcSB’s Chair and Director, Accounting Standards, attend the Committee’s meetings. Other individuals participate in the meetings, including:

  • Representatives of the Canadian Securities Administrators; 
  • Anne Marie Landry – Alberta Securities Commission; and 
  • Sophie Yelle – Autorité des marchés financiers.

How to provide input

The AcSB is keen to hear from and discuss with constituents any concerns with or observations on current accounting standards, items on its technical agenda and potential agenda items. The AcSB would also like to identify significant accounting issues on which users are of the view that the AcSB should provide additional or revised guidance. If possible, the AcSB would like to enhance the information currently available to users.

Chris Kovalchuk

MBA
Claret Asset Management Corp.
Montréal, QC
Chair

Howard Leung

CPA, CA, CFA
Fiera Capital
Toronto, ON
Chair

Bill Kovalchuk

Claret Asset Management Corp.
Montréal, QC
Member

Brian Madden

First Avenue Investment Counsel
Toronto, ON
Member

Bryan Brown

CPA, CA
Sentry Investments
Toronto, ON
Member

Caroline Maughan

Claret Asset Management Corp.
Montréal, QC
Member

Catherine Roy-Heaton

CPA, CA, CFA
Mount Royal University
Calgary, AB
Member

Cherilyn Radbourne

CPA, CA
TD Securities, Inc.
Toronto, ON
Member

Dan Fong

CFA
Veritas Investment Research Corp.
Toronto, ON
Member

Erin Greenfield

CPA, CA, CMA
Greenfield Investment Management Limited
Toronto, ON
Member

Greg Pau

Consultant/Lecturer
Toronto,
Member

Izet Elmazi

CPA, CA
Bristol Gate Capital Partners
Toronto, ON
Member

Jenna Halwa

Berkshire Hathaway Energy
Calgary, AB
Member

Marina Pomerantz

CPA, CA
Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan
Toronto, ON
Member

Naveed Sunderji

CFA
Franklin Templeton Investments Canada
Calgary, AB
Member

Nigel D'Souza

CFA
Veritas Investment Research
Toronto, ON
Member

Philippe Hynes

Tonus Capital Inc.
Montreal, QC
Member

Reno Giancola

Port Investments Inc.
Toronto, ON
Member

Ryan Grant

CPA, CMA
Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management
Vancouver, BC
Member

Shripad Joshi

CPA
Standard and Poor's
New York, NY
Member

Teddy Li

CFA, FRM
CN Investment Division
Montréal, QC
Member

Yelena Stepanyan

Knowledge First Financial
Mississauga, ON
Member