Association of Administrative Professionals

What Association of Administrative Professionals does

The Association of Administrative Professionals (AAP) is a Canadian chartered non-profit professional association founded in April 1951 in Toronto and granted Letters Patent by the Province of Ontario in November 1952. It serves administrative professionals across Canada - including administrative assistants, executive assistants, office managers, project/finance/HR administrators, and strategic partners - as well as student members, retired professionals aged 55+, and a small cohort of international members-at-large. The Association's core offerings are the CCAP (Canadian Certified Administrative Professional, five Centres of Expertise) and CCAPA (Canadian Certified Administrative Professional Associate, four Centres) certification programs, administered nationally by AAP and delivered through a network of 30+ accredited Canadian colleges and universities including Seneca, Georgian, Athabasca University, SAIT, NAIT, the University of Calgary, and the University of Toronto. Recertification is required every three years, with $100 renewal fees and 40 (CCAP) or 30 (CCAPA) continuing-education credits.

The organization is run entirely by volunteers at both the National Board and Branch Executive Committee levels, with no paid staff. Its technology footprint is a web-based membership management system centered on canadianadmin.ca, including a members-only portal, an upgraded online community platform (AAP Community), webinar delivery, and event registration via Eventbrite. Distribution is organized around six branches (Toronto Charter, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Barrie/Simcoe County, and Atlantic Canada operating virtually) plus a Members-at-Large group of 150+ covering all other Canadian geographies and international members.

The revenue model blends four streams: annual individual membership dues ($180 Regular, $60 Student and Retired), one-time certification enrollment ($200) plus triennial renewals ($100), transaction-based job postings ($300 CAD per posting for employers, distributed to members via email and the website), and a tiered corporate sponsorship program (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, plus Product Sponsor). The Association also acknowledges financial support from the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage. Go-to-market is community- and event-led: monthly branch meetings, the annual Canadian Administrative Professionals Summit (CAPS) in Calgary, professional development days, a national webinar series, and academic partnerships drive both member acquisition and certification enrollment.

Name

Association of Administrative Professionals

Legal name

Association of Administrative Professionals

Website

https://canadianadmin.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Association of Administrative Professionals is a Canadian chartered non-profit, volunteer-run association serving administrative professionals nationwide through membership, the CCAP/CCAPA certification programs, six branches plus a Members-at-Large group, professional development events, and a tiered job-posting and sponsorship offering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association and Certification Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

Keywords

• Professional certification programs
• Membership association services
• Professional development events
• Administrative professional networking
• Continuing education credits

Headquarters

HQ city

Cañada

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees provide the primary recurring revenue. Regular members pay $180/year, while student and retired members pay $60/year. Fees are determined annually at the AGM and include access to member benefits, publications, webinars, and community resources.
2. Certification Programs: Revenue generated from CCAP/CCAPA enrollment fees ($200 one-time) and certification renewal fees ($100 per 3-year renewal period). Certification requires ongoing membership, creating recurring revenue through renewal cycles.
3. Job Postings: Job posting distribution service for employers at $300 CAD per posting. Additional fees include $50 administrative charge for changes and $50 fee to extend postings beyond the 90-day initial window. Free postings included in sponsorship packages.
4. Sponsorships: Sponsorship program with four tiers (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) and Product Sponsor level. Benefits include website links, magazine ads, promotional emails to members, and complimentary job postings. Platinum sponsors also fund National Board and AGM events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Association of Administrative Professionals (AAP) is a Canadian chartered non-profit professional association that delivers the CCAP (Canadian Certified Administrative Professional) and CCAPA (Canadian Certified Administrative Professional Associate) certification programs, along with tiered individual membership, professional development events and webinars, a national job posting service, an online member community, publications, and an Annual Salary Guide. Certifications are administered nationally but delivered through 30+ accredited Canadian colleges and universities, with courses built around five Centres of Expertise: Communication, Project Management, Technology/Computer Skills, Business Operations, and Leadership/Management. The organization operates through six regional branches plus a Members-at-Large group covering all of Canada, and is funded through membership dues, certification fees, job posting fees, and sponsorships.

Product overview

The Association of Administrative Professionals (AAP) is a Canadian professional membership organization offering a portfolio of certification programs and member services. The core offerings are the CCAP (Canadian Certified Administrative Professional) and CCAPA (Canadian Certified Administrative Professional Associate) certification programs, which are university-level credentials administered by AAP but delivered through accredited Canadian colleges and universities. These certifications validate administrative professionals' expertise across key competency areas. Beyond certifications, AAP provides membership with access to national webinars, professional development events, career resources, the AAP Online Forum community, publications (The Communiqué, Executive Support Magazine, Administrative Professional Today), the Annual Salary Guide, and member discount programs. The organization operates through six branches across Canada plus Members-at-Large, facilitating networking and professional development for administrative professionals nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,200 active members and 160+ CCAP/CCAPa graduates across Canada
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Seneca College / Seneca PolytechniccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Academic partnership where Seneca's Office Administration programs provide pathways to CCAP certification. Student members gain access to national resources, learning opportunities, and industry trends. Through partnership with the Association of Administrative Professionals, students and graduates can pursue Canadian Certified Administrative Professional (CCAP) certification.
• Georgian CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Georgian College offers CCAP courses for the CCAP program. Partnership enables members in the Barrie/Simcoe County region to access certification courses locally. Barrie Branch has established connection with Georgian College for career pathway events and PD day collaborations.
• International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025AAP and IAAP have a partnership in which they share ideas and values to support office and administrative professionals. AAP is a Canadian association while IAAP is an international association. At this time, AAP does not provide equivalency for IAAP certifications.
• Ignite MagazineminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Ignite magazine is a media partner of the Toronto Charter Branch. As Canada's leading source of ideas and inspiration for those who plan meetings, board retreats, and employee events, Ignite offers a FREE subscription to all AAP members. Provides access to experiential magazine content, online resources, articles, and industry events calendar.
• Resume TargetminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Partner site specifically designed for Association members. Resume Target offers professional resume writing, job search, and career coaching services. Members access premium career counselling through the Members Only section of the website.
• UPSminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025UPS savings on shipping services available to AAP members as a member benefit. Provides discount access for members on shipping needs.
• Steve ChapelleminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Information privacy and security education provider who has been offering webinars to AAP members since 2006. Former IT management professional with experience in security, availability, and disaster recovery planning. Instructor and developer at Udemy online course platform.
• Women Building FuturesminorOthers · 1 January 2025AAP Edmonton Branch's Non-Profit of Choice for 2025/2026 season. Organization removes barriers and creates opportunities for women in non-traditional careers. Shared mission of empowering through education, mentorship, and professional growth.
• Barrie Families UniteminorOthers · 1 January 2025AAP Barrie/Simcoe County Branch's charity of choice for the year. Community organization supported through volunteer efforts and monetary donations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Resume Target: Career services platform offering resume writing, job search, and career coaching — partner of AAP via the Members Only section. Adjacent service provider rather than a direct competitor, but represents the broader ecosystem of admin career services.
• World Education Services (WES): Credential evaluation service required by AAP for internationally educated members to establish course equivalency for CCAP. Enabling ecosystem partner rather than a peer, but materially relevant to AAP's international member pathway.

Broad incumbents

• LinkedIn Learning: Mass-market online learning platform offering admin, business operations, and technology courses that partially substitute for AAP's CCAP training content. Competes for the same member's learning budget with greater scale and lower per-course cost, though without credentialing.
• Project Management Institute (PMI): Global professional association offering the PMP certification and member services to project management professionals. AAP's CCAP includes Project Management as one of its five Centres of Expertise — making PMI an adjacent authority whose credentialing partially overlaps with AAP's curriculum.

Emerging players

• Executive Support Magazine: International media publication covering administrative professional topics and bundled with AAP memberships. Adjacent to AAP's "The Communiqué" and "Administrative Professional Today" newsletters; serves overlapping audience but as a media property rather than a credentialing body.

Direct peers

• International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP): Global professional association for administrative professionals offering the CAP and OM certifications. Direct counterpart to AAP with overlapping mission, membership model, and credentialing; AAP has a partnership with IAAP but does not grant credential equivalency.
• CPA Canada (Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada): Canadian chartered professional association administering a national credential (CPA) through provincial bodies and accredited educational partners. Highly comparable operating model to AAP — chartered non-profit, national certification, member dues + renewal structure — though for accounting rather than admin.
• Office Dynamics International: Training and coaching firm specializing in administrative professional development, offering courses, conferences (Admin Awards/Conferences), and resources. Directly comparable to AAP's professional development arm though delivered as a for-profit training business rather than a member association.
• Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA): Ontario-based chartered professional association for HR practitioners offering the CHRP designation through accredited programs. Comparable to AAP as a Canadian chartered association administering a national professional designation with member dues, branch structure, and renewal CE requirements.
• American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP): US-based professional membership association serving administrative professionals with similar certification, networking, and professional development offerings. Closest geographic neighbor to AAP with directly comparable value proposition and member services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/canada_aaa
• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/263359087115919
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-of-administrative-professionals-edmonton-60b135192
• Instagraminstagram.com/yycaap

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Association of Administrative Professionals