It is hard to believe that nearly six years have flown by since I joined the CAIRP Executive Committee of the Board and that my two-year term as Chair is now coming to a close. As I write my final reflections, I am struck by how transformative these years have been, marked by challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, I have witnessed firsthand how CAIRP’s Board and staff have consistently risen to the occasion, driving the profession forward with resilience and determination.

In 2023, I had the privilege of leading the Strategic Review Committee to craft CAIRP’s 2024-2028 Strategic Plan. This bold roadmap sets our direction for the future, addressing key concerns from members and stakeholders. The plan focuses on four ambitious goals:

1. Revitalizing the CIRP and LIT brands.
2. Delivering best-in-class professional education.
3. Providing timely response to developments in the insolvency marketplace.
4. Ensuring resilience in CAIRP’s operations and services.

My overall goal when I took over the Chair role two years ago was to leave the Association better off than it was by positioning us for the future and to continue building on the excellent work of my predecessors. CAIRP’s 2024-2028 Strategic Plan kept our efforts focused and here are a few highlights of how we’re making these goals a reality. 

Revitalizing the CIRP and LIT brands

We are making bold moves to elevate CAIRP, its members and the industry. In the last year alone, we generated over 1000 media mentions in major and regional news outlets nationwide through six media releases. More than 430 media outlets featured CAIRP stories - amplifying our voice.

Our Media Communications Committee delivered 16 blog posts and developed national and provincial backgrounders to educate stakeholders on the insolvency industry and the critical services our members provide.

Delivering best-in-class professional education

Education remains a cornerstone of our mission. This year, we continued virtual delivery of all education programs including examinations and the Competency-based National Insolvency Exam (“CNIE”) assessment and appeal centres. The results speak for themselves with CNIE pass rates of 58%, 77% and 67% over the past three years – our best performance in recent memory.

The AICP Workshop returned to in-person sessions, with 51 candidates participating in June 2025 - the highest turnout in years. Meanwhile, the first cohort of students under the renewed CIRP Qualification Program (CQP), displaying a cutting-edge, interactive online experience, wrote their exam this past November. We are also seeing an increase in enrolment for the CQP and PCIC programs, which is a trend we’re eager to sustain. The first course in the CQP program is now also offered as a standalone course and that is also gaining traction.

The Professional Development team was in high gear this past year with nearly 70% of members attending a CAIRP-run event. Of those, 93% would recommend a CAIRP event to a colleague – a testament to their value. We are continuing with our webinar series specifically designed for the Insolvency Administrator Associates, and the program continues to gain momentum.

In addition to the Forums and Exchange, CAIRP successfully delivered the ARIL conference for the ARIL Society. The ARIL conference in Montreal drew over 700 attendees, solidifying its reputation as a must-attend event.

Providing timely response to developments in the insolvency marketplace

This past year, CAIRP has been laser-focused on staying ahead of developments in the insolvency marketplace, ensuring our members remain equipped to navigate a rapidly evolving landscape. Advocacy has been a cornerstone of our efforts, with significant strides made on multiple fronts.

CAIRP’s collaboration with the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy remains a key foundation of our efforts to advance Canada’s insolvency profession. This year, CAIRP partnered with the OSB to address digital challenges through the creation of the Digital Insolvency Governance Network (DIGN). This initiative, which evolved from the OSB-CAIRP-Vendor Working Group, focuses on addressing current and future digital issues impacting our profession.

We actively participated in five OSB consultations which allowed us to provide valuable insights and recommendations, ensuring that the insolvency system remains fair and accessible. Recognizing the importance of LIT renumeration in enhancing system accessibility, we established a Tariff Review Task Force to develop CAIRP’s submission to the OSB for Enhancing the Accessibility of the Insolvency System – LIT remuneration. The OSB is working to move its regulatory package, which includes LIT remuneration, forward this fall.

Other legislative advocacy also took centre stage including Bill C-280 entitled “An Act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (deemed trust perishable fruits & vegetables) and Finance Canada’s annual Pre-Budget Consultations in advance of the 2025 Federal Budget and consultation on new reporting requirements for Trusts and Bare Trusts.

Our collaboration with the Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA”) has been particularly active this year. We worked closely with CRA to address members concerns on issues such as the Underused Housing Tax, Climate Action Incentive Payment and T3 filings.

In May 2025, CAIRP partnered with ISED to deliver a high-impact roundtable that brought together 25 government officials from key departments, including Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), Finance Canada, the OSB, the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC) and the CRA. The session provided a platform for CAIRP members to share insights on how the current economic climate is affecting businesses, MSMEs and consumers across the country. The session was well received by government officials, and it was also a welcome opportunity to raise CAIRP’s profile with these important stakeholders.

Again, this year, CAIRP played a pivotal role in insolvency law through strategic interventions. In Piekut vs. Canada (Minister of National Revenue), CAIRP was granted leave to intervene before the Supreme Court of Canada. While the Court’s decision ultimately favoured the single-date approach for determining when a student ceases to be a student under section 178 of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (“BIA”), the ruling brought much-needed national consistency to an issue that had seen divergent interpretations across provinces. More importantly, this decision has reignited discussion around the limitations of student loan discharge provisions in the BIA, an area where CAIRP will continue to advocate for change.

In Poonian et al v. British Columbia Securities Commission, CAIRP’s intervention before the Supreme Court of Canada helped clarify whether certain claims made by a securities commission can be considered as a non-dischargeable debt under sections 178(1)(a) and 178 (1)(e) of the BIA. The Court’s decision was aligned with CAIRP’s position.

Our advocacy efforts extended to the OSB’s Registrar’s Conference in February 2025, where I had the opportunity to present on critical topics identified by CAIRP Board members and Provincial Association Presidents. These topics included (1) an update on the insolvency marketplace; (2) best practices including the value of court committees; (3) filing of court documents electronically, virtual proceedings and digitization; and (4) current challenges such as home equity, disability tax credit, student loans, cybersecurity, CRA engagement, file aging and terms of discharge on Court orders. The presentation was well received.

Finally, I want to express my gratitude to the CAIRP staff, CAIRP CEO - Anne Wettlaufer, the Board members, the Board executive members, our committee members and our volunteers for your dedication, expertise and countless hours. You are the reason why CAIRP can accomplish so much and be successful. Thank you!

Serving as your Chair has truly been an honour and I wish Craig Munro all the best as he takes on the role. Together we’ve accomplished so much, and with our Strategic Plan in full swing, I am very confident that CAIRP is well positioned to seize the opportunities that lie ahead.

Au revoir,
André P. Bolduc, Chair