Overview
In Ontario, health professions (i.e. dentistry, medicine, chiropody, etc.) are self-regulated. In other words, the regulation of the entry into and practice of the professions has been delegated from the provincial government to the professionals themselves. The basis for such delegation is the recognition that health professionals have specialized knowledge about their practice which makes them more adept at regulating their profession than would be the case with government. In Ontario, there are 26 “Colleges” which each regulate the practice of a specific health profession. The Colleges do things such as establish policies concerning treatment, investigate complaints made about practitioners, discipline practitioners, etc. The Colleges function in a fashion akin to the Law Society of Ontario.
The Legislative Framework
The Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 provides the framework through which the Colleges regulate health professionals. In particular, the Health Professions Procedural Code, which is a Schedule to the RHPA, provides a framework for, among other things, investigating complaints, disciplining practitioners, registering as a practitioner, etc.
The Colleges
There are 26 Colleges which fall under the authority of the RHPA. What follows is a list of those Colleges as well as a link to each College’s statute, website, and discipline committee decisions.
College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario
College of Chiropodists of Ontario
College of Chiropractors of Ontario
College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario
College of Dental Technologists of Ontario
Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario
College of Denturists of Ontario
College of Dietetians of Ontario
College of Homeopaths of Ontario
College of Kinesiologists of Ontario
College of Massage Therapists of Ontario
College of Medical Laboratory Technologists of Ontario
Medical Laboratory Technology Act, 1991: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/91m28
College of Medical Radiation Technologists of Ontario
Medical Radiation Technology Act, 1991: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/91m29
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
Medicine Act, 1991: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/91m30
College of Midwives of Ontario
Midwifery Act, 1991: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/91m31
College of Naturopaths of Ontario
Naturopathy Act, 2007: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/07n10
College of Nurses of Ontario
· Nursing Act, 1991: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/91n32
· College website: https://www.cno.org/
· Discipline Committee Decisions: https://www.canlii.org/en/on/oncno/
College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario
· Occupational Therapy Act, 1991: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/91o33
· College website: https://www.coto.org/
· Discipline Committee Decisions: https://www.coto.org/about/what-we-do/discipline
College of Opticians of Ontario
Opticianry Act, 1991: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/91o34
; College website: http://www.coptont.org/HOME/index.php
Discipline Committee Decisions: http://www.coptont.org/DISCIPLINE/discipline.php
College of Optometrists of Ontario
Optometry Act, 1991: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/91o35
College website: https://www.collegeoptom.on.ca/
Discipline Committee Decision: https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onco/
Ontario College of Pharmacists
Pharmacy Act, 1991: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/91p36
College website: http://www.ocpinfo.com/
Discipline Committee Decisions: https://www.canlii.org/en/on/oncpdc/
College of Physiotherapists of Ontario
Physiotherapy Act, 1991: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/91p37
College website: https://www.collegept.org/
Discipline Committee Decisions: https://www.canlii.org/en/on/oncpo/
College of Psychologists of Ontario
Psychology Act, 1991: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/91p38
College website: http://www.cpo.on.ca/
Discipline Committee Decision: decisions appear on a Member’s page on the public register, i.e. a database of all practitioners, available here: https://members.cpo.on.ca/public_register/new
College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario
Psychotherapy Act, 2007: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/07p10
College website: https://www.crpo.ca/
Discipline Committee Decision: https://www.crpo.ca/discipline/
College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario
Respiratory Therapy Act, 1991: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/91r39
College website: http://www.crto.on.ca/
Discipline Committee: decisions appear on a Member’s page on the public register, i.e. a database of all practitioners, available here: https://members.crto.on.ca/crto/CRTO/PublicDirectory/Public_Directory_Member/Public_Register/PublicRegisterMember.aspx
College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario
Traditional Chinese Medicine Act, 2006: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/06t27
College website: https://www.ctcmpao.on.ca
Discipline Committee Decisions: https://www.ctcmpao.on.ca/public/decisions/
Appealing College Decisions
The Health Professions Appeal and Review Board is an independent body which can, on request, review the following types of matters:
The disposition of a complaint filed with a College, unless the matter was referred to the College’s Discipline Committee or for Incapacity Proceedings; and
Decisions concerning the registration of new members of the profession.
Links:
o HPARB Website: http://www.hparb.on.ca/scripts/English/
o Decisions: https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onhparb/
Other College decisions, i.e. discipline committee decisions, are appealed to the Ontario Divisional Court. Link:
https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onscdc/
Further Information
For further information, contact a member of the OBA Health Law Section Executive (https://www.oba.org/Sections/Health-Law/Executive) and / or see the OBA Health Law Section materials (https://www.oba.org/Sections/Health-Law/Resources).
RBARBIER/1930573_.1