SOC 2 Audit Firms in Canada (2026): How to Choose a SOC 2 Auditor

A SOC 2 report must be issued by a licensed CPA firm, and Canadian companies can choose either a Canadian firm reporting under CSAE 3000 or a US firm reporting under AICPA standards. Some Canadian firms report under both in one engagement. The audit fee for a SOC 2 Type II at SMB scope runs roughly CAD $15,000 to $40,000. Truvo Cyber is a SOC 2 readiness consultancy, not an audit firm: we prepare companies for the audit and coordinate with the auditor. This guide explains how to choose a SOC 2 auditor in Canada and compares eight firms that issue SOC 2 reports for Canadian companies.

Choosing the auditor is the last big SOC 2 decision, and it shapes how the report reads to your customers for years. In our experience the choice comes down to three things: which standard the report is issued under, whether the firm knows your kind of environment, and whether its schedule fits the date your customer is waiting for.

This page is for the technical leader who has a SOC 2 program in place, or nearly in place, and now needs a CPA firm to examine it. The first half covers what a Canadian buyer needs to know about SOC 2 reporting standards and the criteria for choosing a firm. The second half compares firms we could verify from their own websites. We do not appear in the list, because we are a readiness consultant and the auditor has to be independent of the people who built the controls.

If you are still choosing who builds the program, see our guide to SOC 2 consultants in Canada.

Who can issue a SOC 2 report in Canada?

A SOC 2 report is an assurance report issued by a licensed CPA firm on a service organization's controls, measured against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria. SOC 2 is an AICPA standard and trademark. Canadian CPA firms can perform the same engagement under Canadian standards.

CPA Canada's SOC 2 Guide is adapted from the AICPA version and bases the engagement on Canadian Standard on Assurance Engagements (CSAE) 3000. The guide includes illustrative reports issued under both Canadian and international standards, or both Canadian and US standards.

The practical step is simple: before you sign, ask the firm which standard the report will cite, and ask your largest customers whether they have a preference. Some US procurement teams look for AICPA wording; a dual-standard report covers both.

How to choose a SOC 2 auditor in Canada

The best predictor of a smooth SOC 2 audit is an auditor who understands your environment and scopes the examination to the systems that serve your customers. Price comes second. The seven criteria below help Canadian buyers compare firms on what matters.

1. Reporting standard and customer acceptance

The report's standard is the first filter. A Canadian firm can issue under CSAE 3000, and some can report under both Canadian and US standards. A US firm issues under AICPA standards. Match the report to your customers before you compare price.

2. Licensing and registration

Provincial CPA bodies regulate public accounting in Canada, and US firms are licensed by state boards. Ask the firm who signs the report, which licence covers that person, and, for a Canadian client, whether the firm is registered with the provincial CPA body where you operate.

3. Independence from your readiness work

An auditor must be independent of the people who designed your controls. Several firms in this market sell readiness assessments alongside the audit. That can work when the two teams are separate, but ask how the firm keeps them apart, and keep your build work with a separate SOC 2 readiness consultant.

4. Experience with your environment

SOC 2 audits of cloud-native SaaS and of on-prem or hybrid infrastructure look different. Evidence for physical security, network devices and self-hosted tools takes more auditor time. Ask how many SOC 2 audits the firm has run on environments like yours. If you run your own hardware, our post on SOC 2 for on-prem consultants and audits covers what changes.

5. GRC platform familiarity

Most SOC 2 audits now pull evidence from a GRC platform such as Vanta, Drata, Secureframe or Sprinto. Auditors in those platforms' directories can read evidence directly, which shortens fieldwork. Ask which platforms the firm audits through.

For companies on Drata, Drata audit readiness services get the account ready before fieldwork, and the audit firm performs the audit and issues the report.

6. Scheduling and report timing

A SOC 2 Type II needs an observation window of three to twelve months, followed by fieldwork and report writing. Ask for the fieldwork window and the report delivery date in writing, and plan backwards from the date your customer needs the report.

7. Fixed fee and clear scope

Most SOC 2 audit firms quote a fixed fee once scope is set: Trust Services Criteria in scope, systems, locations and Type I or Type II. Ask what triggers a change order, such as adding a criterion or a second location.

Frequently asked questions about SOC 2 auditors in Canada

How much does a SOC 2 audit cost in Canada?

The audit fee for a SOC 2 Type II at SMB scope runs roughly CAD $15,000 to $40,000, and a Type I costs less. Consulting and readiness work and GRC platform licences are separate costs. Scope, the number of Trust Services Criteria, and on-prem infrastructure move the fee most. See our SOC 2 cost guide.

Can a Canadian company use a US SOC 2 auditor?

Yes. US firms audit Canadian companies regularly. Alberta-based Bravura Security, for example, has announced SOC 2 Type II reports issued by US firm Sensiba. Confirm the firm can work with your Canadian data residency requirements and that your Canadian customers accept a US-issued report.

Can my SOC 2 auditor also do my readiness work?

Only with care. Independence rules prohibit a firm from auditing controls it designed. Some firms offer readiness through a separate team, but the cleaner approach is a separate readiness consultant who builds the program and manages the auditor relationship for you.

SOC 2 audit firms serving Canadian companies

The list below covers eight firms that issue SOC 2 reports for Canadian companies, checked against each firm's own website or a client announcement in October 2026. We left out firms we could not verify. Several national firms (MNP, PwC Canada, Deloitte Canada, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, Doane Grant Thornton) may offer SOC 2 reporting that we could not confirm on their current public pages.

1. MHM Professional Corporation (Calgary)

One-line positioning. Licensed Canadian CPA firm focused only on compliance audits.

What they do well. MHM issues SOC reports and is also an SCC-accredited ISO certification body, the first in Canada for ISO/IEC 42001. It reports more than 350 client organizations across 10 countries and offers fixed-fee proposals. Its leaders are former PwC partners, according to Drata's auditor directory.

Best fit for. Canadian SMBs and mid-market companies that want a Canadian firm for SOC 2 and possibly ISO certification.

Notable signals. Drata Audit Alliance listing, SCC accreditation for ISO 27001, ISO 27701 and ISO 42001.

Caveats. MHM also offers a SOC readiness assessment. Keep readiness and audit with separate parties, or confirm how MHM separates the teams.

2. BDO Canada (national)

One-line positioning. National accounting firm with a third-party assurance practice issuing SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 2+ and SOC 3 reports.

What they do well. BDO covers all five Trust Services Criteria and offers SOC 2+ reports that add other frameworks to the same report.

Best fit for. Mid-market companies, especially those already using BDO for financial audit or tax.

Notable signals. National office footprint, SOC 2+ capability.

Caveats. BDO also sells readiness assessments and remediation roadmaps. Ask how the readiness and audit teams are kept apart.

3. KPMG Canada (national)

One-line positioning. Big 4 firm offering SOC 2 attestation for software, technology, telecom and fintech companies.

What they do well. KPMG Canada lists SOC 2 attestation across all five Trust Services Criteria inside its technology risk practice.

Best fit for. Large companies and regulated institutions with an existing KPMG relationship.

Notable signals. National practice; also offers ISO/IEC 27001 certification.

Caveats. Big 4 pricing rarely suits SMBs.

4. EY Canada (national)

One-line positioning. Big 4 firm offering SOC 2 and ISAE 3000 reporting.

What they do well. EY Canada lists SOC 2 and ISAE 3000 engagements and a large global SOC practice across technology and health companies.

Best fit for. Enterprises that need SOC reports accepted across several countries.

Notable signals. ISAE 3000 option for international reporting.

Caveats. Enterprise pricing. Confirm the Canadian team that will run your engagement.

5. Richter (Montreal, Toronto, Calgary)

One-line positioning. Canadian accounting firm offering end-to-end SOC services, with a Chicago office.

What they do well. Richter issues SOC 2 reports across the five Trust Services Criteria and has offices in three Canadian cities plus the US.

Best fit for. Quebec and Ontario companies that want a Canadian mid-size firm with a US presence.

Notable signals. Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Chicago offices.

Caveats. "End-to-end" can include readiness. Confirm separation if you use Richter for both.

6. A-LIGN (US)

One-line positioning. Large US compliance audit firm that audits Canadian companies.

What they do well. A-LIGN runs SOC 2 audits at high volume and publishes a case study with Canadian data company Environics Analytics.

Best fit for. Companies selling mainly to US buyers who want an AICPA report from a large US firm.

Notable signals. Also an ANAB and UKAS accredited ISO 27001 certification body.

Caveats. We found no Canadian office. Confirm data residency handling and fieldwork logistics.

7. Sensiba (US)

One-line positioning. US CPA firm with Canadian SOC 2 clients.

What they do well. Alberta-based Bravura Security announced its third consecutive SOC 2 Type II audit with Sensiba in 2024.

Best fit for. Canadian software companies selling into the US that want an AICPA report.

Notable signals. Repeat Canadian client.

Caveats. We found no Canadian office.

8. Prescient Assurance (US, majority-owned by SGS)

One-line positioning. US audit firm issuing SOC 1, SOC 2 and SOC 3 reports, now part of the SGS group.

What they do well. SGS announced in October 2026 that it acquired a majority stake in Prescient Security, which has more than 350 employees and 5,000 customers worldwide.

Best fit for. Companies already working with Prescient or SGS on ISO certification.

Notable signals. SGS ownership adds a global testing and certification group behind the firm.

Caveats. We found no Canadian office. Expect process changes as the SGS integration proceeds.

SOC 2 audit firm comparison table

What does a SOC 2 audit cost in Canada?

A SOC 2 Type II audit for a Canadian SMB typically costs CAD $15,000 to $40,000 in audit fees, with Type I lower. The audit fee is one of three line items: readiness consulting and GRC platform licences are billed separately.

Four factors move the SOC 2 audit fee most:

• Type I or Type II. Type II adds an observation window and testing of operating effectiveness. Our post on Type 1 vs Type 2 covers the trade-off.
• Trust Services Criteria in scope. Security is mandatory; adding Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity or Privacy adds testing.
• Infrastructure. On-prem and hybrid environments need more auditor time on physical and network evidence. See our on-prem SOC 2 cost and timeline.
• Readiness. A program that is ready on day one keeps fieldwork short. Exceptions found during the audit add time and can end up in the report.

How Truvo works with SOC 2 auditors

We are a SOC 2 readiness consultancy and stay independent of the audit. We build the program, then help clients choose an auditor that fits their customers and environment, and we manage that relationship through the audit. Our readiness assessments and SOC 2 compliance consulting cover the build.

Our role with the auditor is practical: we agree scope with the firm before the engagement letter, prepare evidence in the GRC platform the auditor reads, answer fieldwork requests, and close out any findings. Because we work with several audit firms, our recommendation follows the client's market and stack.

If you are choosing an auditor now, the questions that tend to decide it are these: which standard will the report cite, and do your customers care; is the firm registered where you operate; how does it keep readiness and audit separate; has it audited environments like yours; and can it commit to a report date in writing. Firms that answer all five clearly are worth a proposal.

Frequently asked questions

Is SOC 2 recognized in Canada?

Yes. SOC 2 is widely requested by Canadian enterprise customers, and CPA Canada publishes a SOC 2 Guide adapted from the AICPA version under CSAE 3000. Canadian CPA firms issue SOC 2 reports, and some report under both Canadian and US standards in one engagement.

What is the difference between CSAE 3000 and an AICPA SOC 2 report?

Both examine controls against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria. A CSAE 3000 report follows the Canadian assurance standard; an AICPA report follows US attestation standards. CPA Canada's guide shows reports issued under both Canadian and US standards, which suits companies selling into both markets.

How long does a SOC 2 audit take?

A SOC 2 Type I audit can finish within a few weeks of readiness. A Type II needs an observation window of three to twelve months, then roughly four to eight weeks of fieldwork and report writing. Most of the calendar is readiness and the observation window.

Should I choose a Canadian or a US SOC 2 auditor?

Choose based on your customers. A Canadian firm suits companies selling mainly in Canada and can often report under both standards. A US firm suits companies selling mainly to US buyers who ask for an AICPA report. Ask your largest customers before you sign.

What is the difference between a SOC 2 consultant and a SOC 2 auditor?

A SOC 2 consultant designs the controls, writes the policies, sets up the GRC platform and prepares the company for the audit. A SOC 2 auditor is a licensed CPA firm that examines those controls and issues the report. Independence rules keep the two roles separate.

Do SOC 2 auditors work with Vanta and Drata?

Yes. Vanta, Drata, Secureframe and Sprinto all run auditor partner programs, and auditors in those programs can review evidence directly in the platform. Using an auditor familiar with your platform usually shortens fieldwork.

Further reading

• Top SOC 2 consultants in Canada
• SOC 2 compliance services in Canada: a buyer's orientation
• How to choose a SOC 2 consultant
• SOC 2 cost: the 4 factors
• SOC 2 Type 1 vs Type 2
• SOC 2 audit guide with Drata and Vanta

Ready for your SOC 2 audit?

If a customer is waiting on your SOC 2 report, a 30-minute call is enough to check readiness and shortlist auditors that fit your market. Book a strategy call, see our SOC 2 consultants in Canada page, or start with the SOC 2 Readiness Scorecard.