Municipal Accounting & Finance Program

MAFP consists of two courses:

• Unit 1: Introduction to Municipal Accounting and Financial Reporting
• Unit 2: Integrated Financial Planning

If you have little to no accounting or finance experience, you will gain foundational knowledge of how Ontario municipalities manage their finances and confidence in your ability to collaborate with finance staff. You will also be able to recognize and identify basic components of key financial documents and municipal financial legislation in Ontario. 

If you already work in a municipal accounting or finance role, this program is the perfect way to strengthen your foundational knowledge and gain further insight into practices and experiences in other Ontario municipalities. 

If you are an accounting or finance professional new to the municipal sector, this program will help you understand the municipal context and the unique rules and regulations that govern municipal financial operations.  

Note: MAFP is not a technical program — it can complement technical accounting and financial training, but it is not sufficient on its own to train you to become a municipal treasurer or accountant.

MAFP Unit 1: Introduction to Municipal Accounting and Financial Reporting
Unit 1 introduces the basics of accounting and financial reporting requirements for Ontario municipalities, and how they generate revenues and account for expenses. This includes an exploration of legislative requirements, Public Sector Accounting Standards, the property taxation system, tangible capital assets, and various types of financial reports. 

MAFP Unit 2: Integrated Financial Planning
Unit 2 explores planning, strategy, and policy in Ontario municipal finance, with a focus on how financial planning ties to budgeting, asset management, treasury management, and growth management. Although municipalities each have their own unique approaches to financial planning, the unit introduces current and emerging best practices. 

Note: Taking one unit at a time is strongly recommended if you work full-time. Taking the units in order is also recommended, but not required. 

MAFP is delivered online through a combination of self-paced readings, quizzes, scheduled Zoom sessions led by a facilitator, and an online proctored exam. The dates for the Zoom sessions and the exam are published when registration is open.

Starting fall 2026, there will be no distinction between 'correspondence format' and 'Zoom format' for MAFP. All participants will be enrolled in the same format.

Each MAFP unit ends with an online proctored exam, which must be completed on the specified exam date each term. The exam will be available for a limited window on the exam date.

You will need the following to take the exam:

• A desktop or laptop computer with a camera and microphone (not a phone or tablet)
• Chrome, Edge, or Safari browser
• Stable internet connection
• A Canadian or Ontario government-issued photo ID
• A quiet room with a door where you will not be disturbed

A minimum grade of 60% on the exam and a minimum overall course grade of 60% are required to pass each unit. 

A MAFP certificate will be awarded upon successful completion of both units, which must be completed within two years. 

$425.00 +HST per unit

Starting fall 2026, there will no longer be textbooks for MAFP. All course materials are included in the tuition fees and will be provided in our online learning platform, AMCTO Connect.

MAFP is one of the programs we offer under the status of a Certified Educational Institution. Tuition fees for this program are tax-deductible.

All cancellation requests must be sent in writing by email.

A refund levy of $100.00 +HST per unit will be applied to cancellations received prior to the start date of Module 1. No refunds will be granted for cancellations received after the Module 1 start date.

Registrations and payments cannot be transferred to a later date.

You may be eligible to apply for exemption from a MAFP unit if: 

• You are enrolled in the AMCTO Diploma in Municipal Administration (DMA) program; and
• You completed an equivalent academic course in Ontario that meets the criteria under section 5(b) of the DMA Terms of Reference; or  
• You have a CPA designation and your work experience meets the criteria under section 5(g) of the DMA Terms of Reference. 

If the above does not apply, but you have a minimum of five years of relevant Ontario municipal experience in a senior supervisory role, you may be eligible to apply to challenge a unit instead of taking the full course. Approved applicants are required to write an exam for each unit being challenged. A minimum grade of 70% must be attained to gain credit for the unit. 

The fee to challenge a unit is $265.00 +HST.  

Contact us if you wish to apply for an exemption or a challenge.