The Canadian Institute of Actuaries (CIA) is the national organization of the actuarial profession in Canada. It was incorporated March 18, 1965. The FCIA designation stands for Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries. As the national organization of the Canadian actuarial profession, the CIA serves the public through the provision by the profession of actuarial services and advice by: representing the Canadian actuarial profession in the formulation of public policy; promoting the advancement of actuarial science; educating and qualifying CIA members; ensuring that actuarial services provided by its members meet accepted professional standards; and assisting actuaries in Canada in the discharge of their professional responsibilities.
History
The beginning of the actuarial profession in Canada can be dated to 1847, when the Canada Life Assurance Company was founded in Hamilton, Ontario, by Hugh Baker, who became a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries in 1852. The federal Department of Insurance was established in 1875 and shortly thereafter recruited actuaries to its staff. The first actuarial organization in North America was the Actuarial Society of America, founded in 1889 in New York City and included four Canadians among its 38 charter members.
The original organization of actuaries in Canada, the Actuaries Club, was founded in 1907 with 24 charter members, all actuaries living and working in Toronto. The Canadian Association of Actuaries was established October 8, 1946, and included all members of the Actuaries Clubs of Toronto and Winnipeg as well as a group of Montreal actuaries. This was the organization that formed the membership basis of the CIA when it was established by an Act of Parliament on March 18, 1965.
Following competitions, the Institute adopted the motto Nobis Cura Futuri, meaning We care about the future. A formal bilingualism policy was adopted by the Institute in 1977.
Past presidents
Governance
The Institute is governed by a Board elected from the membership. The Board is composed of the following members:
President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President – one-year term
Twelve Directors – three-year term
Executive Director (ex officio)
The Board manages the work of the Institute. In accordance with the Institute’s Bylaws, six councils perform specific duties and report to the Board annually. Councils inform the Board of important initiatives. The Board’s focus is on strategic management, not operational issues. It approves council membership and appointment of certain committees. It also sets membership fees and the operating budget for the Institute.
The Board supports councils, committees, and task forces to act on technical and professional issues. It also exercises due diligence on the activities of the councils.
Membership
A person may apply for membership in the Institute as an Associate (ACIA), a Fellow (FCIA), an Affiliate, or a Correspondent. Full details of the examinations, courses, and other steps that are required are available on the CIA's website.
Since September 2012, the CIA has operated a University Accreditation Program that provides students with the option of completing some ACIA requirements through their actuarial science degree.
The CIA recognizes actuarial credentials earned from several other actuarial organizations around the world that enable associates and fellows of those organizations to qualify for CIA membership upon meeting a few additional requirements.
In 2022, the CIA launched a new education program that does not rely on the education or examinations of any other actuarial body.
Profession oversight
The Actuarial Profession Oversight Board (APOB) was established by the CIA to provide independent and objective public oversight of the actuarial profession in Canada. APOB binds the CIA to its promise to hold the duty of the profession to the public above the needs of the profession and its members.
APOB has a broad, public-oriented perspective of the complex issues facing today’s actuaries. The board’s diverse membership draws from backgrounds in industry, business, regulatory bodies, organized labour, and other professions. The group also includes three members appointed by the CIA Board from within the CIA’s membership, ensuring that APOB has subject expertise on actuarial matters, while also providing the CIA Board with a level of insight into APOB operations.