CA Sri Lanka Canada Chapter leads drive to boost trade and professional ties

Heshana Kuruppu (right) and Niluka Abeygunaratne presenting a copy of “The Hub Canada” magazine at the event organised by the Sri Lankan Accountants Association of Canada

Heshana Kuruppu addressing a gathering at an event 

Niluka Abeygunaratne (left) presenting a memento to Heshana Kuruppu 

Heshana Kuruppu during meetings with CPA Australia and CPA British Columbia Presidents

The Canada Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) is spearheading initiatives to forge stronger international partnerships, enhance global mobility for its members, and facilitate trade, investment, and professional collaboration between Canada and Sri Lanka.

As part of its ongoing efforts, the CA Sri Lanka Canada Chapter recently launched “The Hub Canada” magazine, which is a first of its kind in North America. The magazine aims to promote Sri Lanka as a premier destination for tourism and investment while providing a vibrant platform for business leaders from Canada and Sri Lanka to showcase their ventures and highlight Sri Lanka’s rich offerings to the North American market. 

The magazine was launched in Vancouver, Canada in mid-May, in the presence of CA Sri Lanka President Heshana Kuruppu, and Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in Vancouver Jim Bennet during the inaugural gala event, The Chartered Legacy 2025. The event brought together members and distinguished guests to celebrate professional excellence and forge new opportunities.

In the course of his visit to Canada at the invitation of the chapter, Kuruppu, together with CA Sri Lanka Canada Chapter President Niluka Abeygunaratne also held numerous meetings with a wide range of stakeholders, including accounting bodies, professional associations and other organisations.

During meetings with CPA British Columbia President and CEO Lori Mathison, and CPA Ontario President and CEO Carol Wilding pathways towards a potential reciprocity agreement between CA Sri Lanka and CPA Canada were explored, as such an agreement would strengthen global mobility and professional recognition for CA Sri Lanka members, enabling them to integrate more easily into Canada’s skilled workforce and contribute meaningfully to the country’s economic landscape.

Kuruppu also met with members of the Sri Lankan Accountants Association of Canada (SLAAC), the oldest professional association representing Sri Lankan-qualified accountants in Canada, which includes members from CA Sri Lanka, CIMA, ACCA and CMA. He also joined the chapter in hosting a special networking dinner for the leadership of the Chartered Accountants of India – Toronto Chapter (CA India Toronto), which was attended by CA India Toronto Founding Chairman Himanshu Shah, current Chairman Ritesh Desai, and Vice Chair Akhil Iyer, among others. 

Additionally, Kuruppu met with Sadik Najarali and Nilesh Pithwa, partners at NVS Chartered Accountants Professional Corporation, a Canadian professional accounting firm which sponsored The Hub Canada magazine. During the meeting, the partners expressed strong interest in expanding their operations to Sri Lanka and sought valuable insights on the local business and investment ecosystem. 

Kuruppu also held a productive meeting with the Chair of the Canada–Sri Lanka Business Convention, where discussions focused on strengthening economic collaboration between the two countries, with an emphasis on positioning Sri Lanka as a premier destination for Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).