Health Professions and Occupations Act

Key changes resulting from the Health Professions and Occupations Act

Key changes resulting from the HPOA include:

• an expanded list of duties that regulated health professionals are required to uphold
• new requirements for committing to cultural safety and humility
• a set of guiding principles that health profession regulatory colleges are required to adhere to
• improved governance, strengthened oversight of health profession regulatory colleges (see Health Professions and Occupations Regulatory Oversight Office below), a safer complaints and adjudication process, and better information sharing
• changes in regulatory language, including referring to “licensees” instead of “registrants”

Regulations under the HPOA

Regulations outline further details on the duties and powers included in the HPOA.

CHCPBC Bylaws under the HPOA

Between June 24, 2025 and January 15, 2026, CHCPBC conducted a consultation on the College’s draft bylaws under the HPOA. Links to full parts of the draft bylaws, overviews, and feedback forms were posted for consultation. All feedback received was reviewed. Consultations with Indigenous Governing Bodies, as are required under the HPOA, were conducted separately and in addition to this public consultation process. Finalized Bylaws under the HPOA were posted April 1, 2026.

HPOA webinars

CHCPBC hosted the HPOA Licensee Webinar Series. Each of the eight webinars in the series focused on a different aspect of the HPOA and what it means for licensees. View videos of the webinars.

Health Professions and Occupations Regulatory Oversight Office

The HPOA established the independent Health Professions and Occupations Regulatory Oversight Office (HPOROO). The HPOROO oversees BC health profession regulatory colleges and ensures they act within their mandate. The office:

• houses an independent Health Professions Discipline Tribunal that holds disciplinary hearings to determine disciplinary action after a complaint has been made against a regulated health professional and an investigation has been conducted
• makes recommendations to the BC Minister of Health on board appointments for the colleges
• conducts designation assessments into whether groups of health service providers should become regulated under the HPOA