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Canadian Auditing Standards

Joint Policy Statement (JPS) Concerning Communications between Actuaries Involved in the Preparation of Financial Statements and Auditors

Summary

With this project, the AASB will revise the Joint Policy Statement (JPS) Concerning Communications between Actuaries Involved in the Preparation of Financial Statements and Auditors, found in the Appendix to CAS 500, Audit Evidence.

Staff Contact(s)

Chi Ho Ng, CPA, CA Principal, Auditing and Assurance Standards Board

Project Status

  • Information gathering

    Completed between February and June 2021

  • Approving project

    Project proposal approved in September 2021

  • Engaging Communities

    Exposure Draft issued in June 2022

    Outreach took place from June 2022-September 2022

    Read what stakeholders had to say about the Exposure Draft

  • Deliberating feedback
  • Final pronouncement

    The Joint Policy Statement (JPS) was issued in February 2023

News


February 1, 2023

News, Resource

Joint Policy Statement Concerning Communications between Actuaries Involved in the Preparation of Financial Statements and Auditors (JPS)

The AASB and the Canadian Actuarial Standards Board jointly issued a revised JPS to enhance communications between actuaries and auditors. The JPS will be appended to CAS 500, Audit Evidence.

June 30, 2022

Document for Comment

Exposure Draft – Joint Policy Statement Concerning Communications between Actuaries Involved in the Preparation of Financial Statements and Auditors

Share your views on the joint Exposure Draft – Joint Policy Statement Concerning Communications between Actuaries Involved in the Preparation of Financial Statements and Auditors, issued by the AASB and the Canadian Actuarial Standards Board. Submit your comments by September 19, 2022!

June 30, 2022

Resource, In Brief

In Brief – Joint Policy Statement Concerning Communications between Actuaries Involved in the Preparation of Financial Statements and Auditors

Read our In Brief for an overview of the Exposure Draft, Joint Policy Statement Concerning Communications between Actuaries Involved in the Preparation of Financial Statements and Auditors. You can share your feedback on this joint Exposure Draft by the AASB and the Canadian Actuarial Standards Board by September 19, 2022. 

Meeting & event summaries


December 13, 2022

AASB Decision Summary – November 28-29, 2022

The AASB discussed issues related to its project to revise the “Joint Policy Statement (JPS) Concerning Communications Between Actuaries Involved in the Preparation of Financial Statements and Auditors”. Key issues included:

  • the changes made to the JPS since exposure;
  • the matters raised from the outreach engagement process; and
  • any re-exposure considerations.

The AASB unanimously agreed that re-exposure is not necessary for the following reasons:

  • Most changes from the Exposure Draft are made to clarify the responding professional’s involvement with the work provided to the inquiring professional and to restrict the distribution of the written response. To assist the respective professionals with implementing the changes to the written response, an illustrative example of the written response is developed for each respective professional. The other changes from the Exposure Draft are mostly clarifications and do not change the substance of the JPS.
  • The JPS impacts mostly large firm auditors, public sector auditors, and actuaries. These constituents are represented on the JPS Joint Task Force and were involved in drafting the changes to the JPS to ensure that the changes are well-understood and agreed to by the auditing and actuarial professions.
  • The AASB thinks the public interest benefits of making the revised JPS available as soon as practicable outweigh any benefits from further consultations on the JPS for the following reasons:
    • The JPS will help auditors and actuaries address changes arising from International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 17, Insurance Contracts, which is effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2023.
    • The revised JPS addresses public interest issues such as unclear scope and inappropriate use of the other professional’s work. It also provides clarity and enhances discussions between the two professions.

The AASB unanimously approved the revised JPS.

The Canadian Actuarial Standards Board is expected to approve the JPS at its meeting in December 2022.

The AASB expects the final JPS to be available on its website in February 2023 and issued in the Handbook in March 2023, once the Auditing and Assurance Standards Oversight Council (AASOC) confirms the Board followed due process with proper regard for the public interest.

June 27, 2022

AASB Decision Summary – June 6-7 2022

The AASB approved an exposure draft of a revised “Joint Policy Statement Concerning Communications between Actuaries Involved in the Preparation of Financial Statements and Auditors” appended to CAS 500, Audit Evidence. The Board expects to issue the exposure draft in June 2022, with a comment deadline of September 19, 2022.

May 18, 2022

AASB Decision Summary – May 5, 2022

The AASB reviewed the first draft of the exposure draft. Key issues discussed included:

  • proposed changes to enhance the clarity of the JPS; and
  • the comment period for the exposure draft.

September 9, 2021

AASB Decision Summary – September 9-10, 2021

The AASB unanimously approved a project proposal to revise the Joint Policy Statement Concerning Communications between Actuaries Involved in the Preparation of Financial Statements and Auditors, found in the Appendix to CAS 500, Audit Evidence.

July 15, 2021

AASB Decision Summary – July 15, 2021

The AASB received an update on information gathering activities dealing with recent revisions to significant auditing and accounting standards impacting both the financial reporting and audit of actuarial estimated amounts. These revisions have implications for the “Joint Policy Statement Concerning Communications between Actuaries Involved in the Preparation of Financial Statements and Auditors.”

The AASB will review a project proposal to revise the Joint Policy Statement at a future meeting.