Claude Rivard

ABOUT CLAUDE

Claude Rivard is a Partner at Samson and leads the firm’s Grants & Contributions Audit practice. With more than 20 years of experience in public accounting, assurance, compliance, and financial management, he specializes in audit and related advisory services for federal grants and contributions programs.

 

EXPERIENCE

Claude began his career with KPMG in Ottawa in 2002, following the completion of his Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from the University of Ottawa. He subsequently held financial management and budgeting roles with the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the University of British Columbia before joining Samson in 2011. At Samson, he initially worked on a range of audit and advisory engagements, including internal audit, IT audit, and fairness monitoring, before specializing in grants and contributions audits in 2016.

In 2024, Claude became an Associate Partner and, in 2026, assumed leadership of Samson’s Grants & Contributions Audit practice. In this role, he is responsible for a portfolio of 13 federal departments, including client relationships, engagement quality, team development, practice management, and the delivery of the firm’s Grants & Contributions service offering. His work focuses on recipient audits, compliance reviews, and assurance mandates related to federal grants and contributions programs.

Claude’s practice is focused on delivering a specialized and repeatable audit approach for federal grants and contributions programs, supported by experienced consultants, consistent methodology, and a strong understanding of transfer payment compliance requirements. His role includes maintaining engagement quality, supporting team capacity, and ensuring continuity in the delivery of mandates across the federal portfolio.