A person may apply for membership in the Institute as an Associate (ACIA), a Fellow (FCIA), a Student, or a Candidate.

[4] Since September 2012, the CIA has operated a University Accreditation Program[5] that provides students with the option of completing some ACIA requirements through their actuarial science degree.

The board’s diverse membership draws from backgrounds in industry, business, regulatory bodies, organized labour, and other professions.

Several regulations and pieces of legislation, both federal and provincial, specify roles that can only be fulfilled by individuals holding the designation of Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (FCIA).

The Canadian Institute of Actuaries Standards of Practice are defined and referenced in provincial pension benefits acts and regulations, such as in Ontario[8] and Quebec.

They range from detailed instructions on how to make certain calculations to more general requirements as to what should be disclosed in actuarial reports.

As a non-partisan entity, the CIA’s policy activities focus on offering input and advice to the benefit of the public good and all Canadians.

Recent policy statements by the CIA have addressed topics such as retirement age,[11] climate change,[12] pharmacare,[13] and big data and risk classification.

The AFC pursues a variety of goals through giving and receiving grants and focusing on education, research, and consumer-education initiatives for the public and young Canadians especially.