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Canadian Standards on Quality Management

Technology Quality Management Workstream

Summary

Opportunities and Challenges in Applying Quality Management Standards to Technology

Emerging technologies, such as generative artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced automation, are transforming audit and assurance engagements. As these technologies become more widely adopted, they offer opportunities to enhance engagement quality and efficiency. However, they also introduce challenges, such as when the technology’s logic is hard to explain, when its outputs vary for the same input, or when tools change over time.

These complexities can raise challenges in applying the quality management standards:

  • International Standard on Quality Management (ISQM) 1, Quality Management for Firms that Perform Audits or Reviews of Financial Statements, or Other Assurance or Related Services Engagements (adopted as Canadian Standard on Quality Management (CSQM) 1 in Canada)
  • International Standard on Auditing (ISA) 220 (Revised), Quality Management for an Audit of Financial Statements (adopted as Canadian Auditing Standard (CAS) 220 in Canada)

Staff Contact(s)

Jasmine Saini, CPA, CA Principal, Auditing and Assurance Standards Board

Phone number  +1 647 264 7607
Email address  [email protected]

Project Status

Stay up to date on the latest developments in the IAASB’s Technology Quality Management Workstream.

What We Heard at the Technology Quality Management Roundtable and Next Steps

In October 2025, the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (AASB) hosted an in-person Technology Quality Management Roundtable in Toronto, in partnership with the IAASB.

The session was part of the IAASB’s global outreach to help determine next steps for its work on emerging technologies. Participants discussed how new technologies are being used in audit and assurance engagements, how the quality management standards apply to these technologies, and what additional support firms and practitioners may need.

Read an overview of the key insights and topics discussed during the roundtable.

Read more

Meeting & event summaries

July 8, 2026

AASB Decision Summary – June 8-9, 2026

The AASB received a presentation from the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) on its technology initiatives, including:

  • the proposed roadmap for developing technology quality management non-authoritative materials, including the scope, structure, content elements, and sequencing of the guide series; and
  • the proposed updates to its Technology Catalog.

The IAASB is expected to develop and publish its guides on a staggered timeline throughout the remainder of 2026 into June 2027.

Following the IAASB presentation, the AASB discussed:

  • the relevance of the IAASB’s technology quality management non-authoritative materials in Canada; and
  • how the AASB could support use of the guides in Canada, given their expected relevance.

April 7, 2026

AASB Decision Summary – March 9-10, 2026

The AASB discussed issues related to the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board’s (IAASB) Technology Quality Management Workstream. Key issues discussed include :

  • the IAASB’s overarching approach for technology-related matters; and
  • the IAASB’s action plan to develop non-authoritative materials to support the consistent and effective application of the quality management standards when firms use technological tools enabled by emerging technologies in audit and assurance engagements.

At its June 2026 meeting, the IAASB is expected to discuss a proposed blueprint for its guide series, including the structure, topic areas, and content elements for each guide.

News

February 6, 2026

Resource, Article

What We Heard at the Canadian Technology Quality Management Roundtable

In October 2025, the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board and the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board held a Technology Quality Management roundtable in Toronto to discuss emerging technologies in audit and assurance engagements. Read the insights from the roundtable.

Disclaimer

This project summary has been prepared for information purposes only. Decisions reported are tentative and reflect only the current status of discussions on this project, which may change after further Board deliberations. Decisions to publish Handbook material are final only after a formal voting process.