Participants will build foundational knowledge of PSAS, including the reporting model and conceptual framework, and understand how PSAS differs from ASPE and IFRS. Participants will apply concepts to practical scenarios through examples, mini-cases, and discussion.

Note: Participants may bring financial statements from their organizations (if appropriate) to use as reference during examples and exercises.

• Preparers of public sector financial statements (e.g., CFOs, directors of finance, managers, and accounting staff). 
• Auditors of public sector financial statements (e.g., partners, senior managers, managers, and senior auditors). 
• Board or audit committee members and senior management of public sector entities and governments. 
• Professionals working with governments, municipalities, First Nations, and government-controlled entities. 

By the end of this course, participants should be able to: 

• Explain the PSAS reporting framework and the role of the conceptual framework. 
• Compare key PSAS concepts with ASPE and IFRS to understand similarities and differences. 
• Identify significant upcoming PSAS changes and where they affect presentation and disclosure. 
• Apply PSAS concepts to common public sector scenarios using case exercises.

Topics include: 

• PSAS handbook structure, the new conceptual framework, and financial statement presentation (including PS 1202 and key differences from PS 1201). 
• Government reporting entity, controlled entities, government business enterprises, partnerships, and consolidation. 
• Revenue standards: PS 3400, government transfers, tax revenue, restricted assets and revenues. 
• Financial instruments, foreign exchange, and remeasurement gains and losses. 
• Asset retirement obligations and liabilities for contaminated sites. 
• Tangible capital assets and impairment; purchased intangibles and cloud computing costs; leases; public-private partnerships. 
• Contractual rights and obligations; contingent assets and liabilities; related party and inter-entity transactions; restructuring transactions. 
• Employee benefits and pensions (including introduction to the new PS 3251); loans receivable and loan guarantees. 
• Additional PSAS matters: GAAP hierarchy, public sector guidelines, SORPs, and selected case studies. 

Course Content Created: August 2025

Course Content Updated: July 2026

Presenter

About This Product

On-Demand Courses by CPA PRO are either video recordings from live seminars, or video recordings produced specifically for the on-demand audience. Slides and any corresponding handout materials are included where available.These titles are eligible for Verifiable CPD Hours – in order to claim these hours as verifiable, you will be required to successfully complete a short quiz. You will be able to print or save your electronic certificate of completion.

Note that some courses comprise both formal instruction and self-directed exercises. In such cases, participants must complete both components to claim full CPD hours, or must reduce their reported CPD hours accordingly.

Please note that not all on-demand courses include downloadable materials such as course notes or slides.

How to get started

Upon completion of purchase, go to mylms.bccpa.ca and log in using your CPABC Online Services credentials. Click “Go to your Courses and Materials” to go to your Learning Center, then find and click on your course title.