Media Release: Surety Association of Canada Recognizes the 2023 Graduating Class
of the Associateship of Canadian Surety Bonding Designation Program

November 21, 2023 – Mississauga, ON – The Surety Association of Canada (SAC) held its 32nd Annual General Meeting and Conference on October 10 and 11, 2023 at the Hilton Toronto, in Ontario, Canada. During the Award Gala Dinner event, the association recognized the 2023 Graduating Class of the Associateship of Canadian Surety Bonding (A.C.S.B.) Designation Program. Graduating students that were presented with Designation Certificates were as follows:

  • Jenna-Marie Armstrong, PLATFORM
  • Stephanie Barylski, Intact Insurance
  • Vincent Boudreau, Intact Insurance
  • Dillon Buzan, Wilson Beck Insurance Services (Alberta) Inc.
  • Jessica Campbell, PLATFORM 
  • Kailey Corby, Masters Insurance Limited
  • Chelsea Fish, Intact Insurance
  • Stephen Gray, Trisura Guarantee Company
  • Owen Kwok, Intact Insurance 
  • Jennifer Mahabir, NFP Canada
  • Jacob Makris, Jones DesLauriers Insurance Management Inc.
  • Andrew Martins, Jones DesLauriers Insurance Management Inc.
  • Kathy Matte, Cowan Insurance Group
  • Stephanie Naples, Masters Insurance Limited
  • Theresa Newton, Intact Insurance
  • Brooke Nichols, Chubb Insurance Company of Canada
  • Sheldon Patten, Petrela Winter and Associates 
  • Margaret Rabba, DBRS Morningstar
  • Annuija Sivapalallingam, FCA Insurance Brokers
  • Ana-Maria Stefan, Intact Insurance
  • Marco Taglieri, Trisura Guarantee Company
  • James Toothill, Western Surety Company
  • Hamza Zafar, Liberty Mutual Insurance
  • Richard Zehr, Zehr Insurance Brokers Ltd.

(Photo caption: Top left to right, as per list.)

“On behalf of SAC’s Board of Directors and Staff, we would like to congratulate this year’s graduates on achieving their designation as Associates of Canadian Surety Bonding”, stated Steven D. Ness, President & Chief Operating Officer of the Surety Association of Canada. “This year marks the 25th anniversary of the launch of our association’s A.C.S.B. Designation Program and with this year’s graduates there are now 273 individuals who have received the A.C.S.B. Designation…bravo!”

The A.C.S.B. Designation Program aims to provide students with a theoretical and in-depth practical understanding of surety bonds and the suretyship process and is intended for those who plan on embarking on a career in the surety industry. Over the course of the last quarter century, the program has proven to be an unqualified success, serving as an important training ground for new entrants into the surety business by supplementing the training offered by the association’s member firms to its new staff.  There has been tremendous growth and change in the program over that time, including the transition of the program 
in-house in the Fall of 2022.

Students enrolled in the A.C.S.B. Designation Program are required to complete four (4) core courses, three (3) of which have been developed by the association, to include: Principles of Suretyship, Contract Surety, and Construction & Surety Law. The SAC-developed courses are offered directly through the association and are delivered by industry experts who bring their in-depth knowledge of the surety industry. The fourth core course, Introductory Financial Accounting, and two (2) elective courses covering a wide range of business skills are also required to obtain the designation and can be taken at any Canadian university.

A French version of the program, le Programme des Associés en Cautionnement Canadien (P.A.C.C.), is also available which has been adapted according to the civil law framework used exclusively in the province of Quebec. The structure of the French version of the program remains the same (four core courses and two electives).

Registration for the Winter 2024 term for both the A.C.S.B. and P.A.C.C. Designation Programs are now open. Prior to registering for courses, students are required to submit a program application form to SAC.

For more information about the Associateship of Canadian Surety Bonding Designation Program (A.C.S.B.), including program and course registration, CLICK HERE.

For more information about le Programme des Associés en Cautionnement Canadien (P.A.C.C.), including program and course registration, CLICK HERE.

For PDF version of Media Release, CLICK HERE.

For more information and media inquiries, please contact:

Sharon Clark-Koufis
Director of Operations, Membership & Stakeholder Services
Surety Association of Canada
P: (905) 677-1353 ext. 202
E: sclark [at] suretycanada.com 

About the Surety Association of Canada:

The Surety Association of Canada (SAC) is the national trade advocacy association that represents the interests of the surety industry across Canada. Its members consist of primary surety firms, surety reinsurers, surety/insurance brokers, and other organizations that provide related and complementary services to the surety industry.

While the majority of the surety industry’s premium revenue is derived from construction contract bonds, SAC also represents the interests of those organizations that focus on non-contract or commercial surety. SAC does not represent or advocate on behalf of the fidelity bond industry.

Since its formation in 1992, SAC has become a trusted resource for construction purchasers, design professionals, contractors, suppliers and other stakeholders in construction and business communities. SAC has developed its own bond forms in response to industry need and in consultation with the construction industry.

SAC and its members regularly meet with owners, contractors, other associations and related organizations to educate them about surety bonds and the suretyship process. SAC also monitors legislation across the country that will impact its members and works diligently to advance the surety cause with lawmakers and government officials.