The Canada Division Has a Long and Storied History
Established in 1920.
Incorporated federally in 1957
Timeline
The Division welcomes a new President – Dr. Sterling Frost, FCG, Acc.Dir. – following the conclusion of the 2025 AGM held on December 10, 2025.
The Board approved the 2025 to 2027 Strategic Plan – Building a Future Proof CGIC.
Brock Olive joined CGIC as its new Director of Education.
The Institute welcomes a new President – Kim Chua, FCMA, FCG, CGMA, P.Adm., Acc.Dir. – following its 2023 AGM held on June 20, 2023
January 2020 The Institute celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2020! February 2020 The Chartered Governance Institute of Canada named Treeline Associates (Treeline) as its new association management company effective February 1, 2020. Treeline provides general management, marketing, and communications services for the association. Certification Program Management services are provided by
2010 The Division elects to set its own exams. International Council approves new International Qualification Scheme with two pathways to certification: Chartered Secretary and Chartered Governance Professional. The Division begins it transition to the new program. 2011 The Division transitions, along with the UK, to a new education program
2000 At the meeting of Council held December 13/14, 2000 in London, UK, the Chairman proposed, seconded by Past President AJ Greenwell, that the Canadian Division should continue to enjoy Divisional status. This was agreed. 2006 The Division engaged a new management company to provide full administrative services for
1990 While the number of Members topped 1,200 in 1988, attrition due largely to retirements brought the total to about 1,000 in 1990. 1994 The Division engaged TO Corporate Services Inc. to provide full administrative services for the Division and Ontario Branch from offices in Toronto. Council decided to offer
1980 A five-page letter to then Institute President Peter Newton explained the concept and the proposed method of implementation so he would be aware ahead of the Division’s 60th Anniversary Conference in Ottawa, which he and three Division Presidents would attend in May. Mr. Newton responded cautiously as he thought
1970 The Institute in London merged with the (British) Corporation of Secretaries in 1970 and resulted in the Division accepting 80 new Members. While some interim financing had been provided by London in the past (and subsequently forgiven), the Division was now required to contribute an annual per capita “tax”
1960 Membership was now almost 1,000 Members and Associates, with 300 in Quebec, 400 in Ontario, 150 in B. C., and from 10 to 30 in other provinces. As admission under the open door policy of By-Law 10 was to cease by 1962, the Division then sought to strengthen its
Leaders of the three Branches met in Montreal and by 1951 had formed a Committee to make recommendations for promoting the Institute in Canada and to provide a clearer understanding of its aims and objectives. The first step was to seek legal incorporation in Canada. Letters Patent were issued by
Registered students were hard to attract because the examinations set by London were based on English law, English currency, and English accountancy for which almost no university courses were available in Canada (although correspondence courses were available from certain British schools).
The Institute’s Secretary, Mr. C. H. Isdell – Carpenter visited Canada and met with as many members as he could. Resulting from this visit, he recommended to Council that Members in Montreal, Toronto, and London should deal independently with Headquarters as Branches; smaller groups would become chapters of the Branches.
About half a dozen Chartered Secretaries, who had graduated in the UK, got together in Montreal and formed a “group”. At that point in time, the Institute had a By-Law 10 which permitted distinguished professionals who had reached a certain level in age and experience to be admitted into Fellowship
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