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Health Professions and Occupations Act

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Health regulatory colleges in BC are currently governed by the Health Professions Act (HPA).  The government has passed new legislation to modernize the way health professions are regulated. The Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) is set to replace the current act (the HPA) as the legislative framework governing health professions in British Columbia.   

The HPOA was passed in BC’s Legislative Assembly in November 2022 and will fully come into force on April 1, 2026*. Until then, the HPA remains the legislation governing oral health professionals and health regulatory colleges in BC.   

The HPOA is a government initiative. According to the Ministry of Health, the new legislation enables:    

  • Further amalgamations to reduce the number of health regulatory colleges    
  • Creation of an oversight body that will promote accountability, transparency and consistency across regulatory colleges    
  • Improved transparency and accountability around complaints, with information about agreements between colleges and registrants made public.   
  • Commitment to cultural safety and humility, with discrimination as a form of professional misconduct or actionable conduct   
  • Information sharing between colleges and other agencies to enhance public safety and protection    
  • Improved governance, with regulatory college board members appointed via a competency-based process    

*Some sections of the HPOA are already in force: The BC government has already brought certain sections of the HPOA into force required to establish the Health Professions and Occupations Regulatory Oversight Office. This enabled hiring the Superintendent, Director of Discipline, and other staff, as well as the creation of discipline tribunals in advance of the government putting the remainder of the HPOA fully into force. 

Transition to the new Act

Planning for BCCOHP’s transition from the HPA to the HPOA is underway. We are working closely with the BC Ministry of Health and BC’s other health profession regulators to prepare for the transition.   

We are committed to keeping our audiences informed as we progress. BCCOHP will share updates as more information becomes available.  

Background

The Health Professions and Occupations Act follows from:    

    • These recommendations flowed from Part 2 of the Cayton Report (published April 2019)  

For more information, read our past news posts and the Ministry of Health’s HPOA FAQ >>

Proposed bylaws consultation

All of BC’s health regulators are required to draft a new set of bylaws to comply with the requirements of the HPOA when it is fully brought into force. 

BCCOHP is inviting feedback from members of the public, oral health professionals and other interested audiences on proposed bylaws developed to align with the upcoming HPOA. 

Consultation on parts 1, 13, and 14 is now open until November 28. Consultation links to online feedback forms are available below. 

Consultation on parts 2 to 12 and 15 of the bylaws ran from September 8, 2025 to October 31, 2025. Feedback is now being compiled and reviewed.

If you have questions about the consultation process, please contact us at consultations@oralhealthbc.ca. 

Note: BCCOHP is not seeking feedback or accepting comments regarding the HPOA, which is the government’s enactment. Any comments on the HPOA should be directed to the government.

Overview 

The Interpretation bylaws are a list of definitions for terms used in multiple places in the bylaws. The definitions provide more precise meanings for those terms – some of which are specific to the way in which the terms are used in the bylaws. This avoids potential ambiguity and allows for more concise drafting.

Full bylaw part: Interpretation >>

Posting date: Friday, November 14, 2025  |  Feedback due: Friday, November 28, 2025.  |  Status: Open

Provide feedback here >>

Overview 

This part of the proposed bylaws sets out the structure of the Board (as set out in the HPOA).

Notable changes under the proposed bylaws include: 

  • Board elections are discontinued. Board consists of 8 to 12 members all appointed by Minister of Health
    (equal number of public and professional members)
  • Board makes decisions by consensus whenever possible; may decide matters by majority vote if consensus is not possible
  • This part sets out Conflict of Interest expectations for board members

Full bylaw part: Board >>

Posting date: Monday, September 8, 2025  |  Feedback due: Friday, October 31, 2025.  |  Status: Closed

Overview 

This part of the proposed bylaws sets out the structure of BCCOHP’s committees (as set out in the HPOA).  

Notable changes under the proposed bylaws include: 

  • Only 3 committees required under the Act and committee names changed to comply with HPOA
    (Registration to Licence / Inquiry to Investigation / Permit Committee established to manage issuance of Health Profession Corporation Permits)
  • Discipline Committee is discontinued – disciplinary functions will be responsibility of Director of Discipline within the Superintendent’s Office
  • Board members may not sit on statutory committees
  • Board establishes 2 additional committees
    (Finance & Audit / Accreditation (to manage facility accreditations)
  • The Registrar is granted authority to establish Advisory Working Groups as needed

Full bylaw part: Committees >>

Posting date: Monday, September 8, 2025  |  Feedback due: Friday, October 31, 2025  |  Status: Closed

Overview 

This part of the proposed bylaws sets out the structure of BCCOHP’s administration (as set out in the HPOA).  

Notable changes under the proposed bylaws include: 

  • Registrar is designated as CEO
  • Registrar must appoint at least 1 Deputy Registrar
  • This part sets out Conflict of Interest expectations for the registrar and staff
  • Administrative structure of BCCOHP remains the same

Full bylaw part: College administration >>

Posting date: Monday, September 8, 2025  |  Feedback due: Friday, October 31, 2025  |  Status: Closed

Overview 

This part of the proposed bylaws sets out the structure of BCCOHP’s records and information (as set out in the HPOA).  

Notable changes under the proposed bylaws include: 

  • No significant material changes to this part
    (reduced in size with some re-ordering of sections for clarity)

Full bylaw part: College records and information >>

Posting date: Monday, September 8, 2025  |  Feedback due: Friday, October 31, 2025  |  Status: Closed

Overview 

This part of the proposed bylaws sets out the structure of BCCOHP’s licensing procedures (as set out in the HPOA).  

Notable changes under the proposed bylaws include: 

  • BCCOHP will issue licences to practice rather than register eligible professionals (HPOA requirement)
  • Classes of licences simplified (discontinued classes are non-practicing / student / dental hygiene practitioner / limited education & limited volunteer / armed forces)
  • New provisional class of licence established that may permit practice while applicants satisfy some licensing requirements
  • Fewer restrictions on employment of dental therapists to allow provision of dental therapy services in broader range of settings
  • Amalgamation provisions deleted (no longer relevant)

Note: Part 10 – Delegation speaks to the continued regulation of licensed dental assistants under the HPOA. 

Full bylaw part: Licences >>

Posting date: Monday, September 8, 2025  |  Feedback due: Friday, October 31, 2025 |  Status: Closed

Overview 

This section of the proposed bylaws sets out the structure of BCCOHP’s certification procedures (as set out in the HPOA).  

Notable changes under the proposed bylaws include: 

  • No significant material changes to this part
  • Bylaw part is reorganized with terminology changed to be consistent with language of the HPOA
  • Section added to provide for reconsideration of certification decisions

Full bylaw part: Certification >>

Posting date: Monday, September 8, 2025  |  Feedback due: Friday, October 31, 2025 |  Status: Closed

Overview 

This part of the proposed bylaws sets out the professional responsibilities of a licensee (as set out in the HPOA).  

Notable changes under the proposed bylaws include: 

  • New part that consolidates licensee’s professional responsibilities with respect to professional and practice standards, limits and conditions on classes of licence, use of title, liability insurance, duty to notify registrar, and BCCOHP access to licensee records

Full bylaw part: Professional responsibilities >>

Posting date: Monday, September 8, 2025  |  Feedback due: Friday, October 31, 2025 |  Status: Closed

Overview 

This part of the proposed bylaws sets out the structure of BCCOHP’s Health Profession Corporations’ permit registration and renewal process (as set out in the HPOA).  

Notable changes under the proposed bylaws include: 

  • No significant material changes to this part
  • Corporations must have a Health Profession Corporation (HPC) Permit to provide health services in dentistry, dental hygiene, denturism, or any combination of those
  • Provision now made for HPCs owned by mixed group of oral health professionals
  • Licencees who are eligible to be issued an HPC Permit include Dental Hygienist, Full Dentist, Limited (restricted-to-speciality) Dentist, Full Denturist, Limited (grand-parented) Denturist

Full bylaw part: Health profession corporation permits >>

Posting date: Monday, September 8, 2025  |  Feedback due: Friday, October 31, 2025  |  Status: Closed

Overview 

This section of the proposed bylaws sets out the process of delegation of an aspect of practice or restricted activity (as set out in the HPOA).  

Notable changes under the proposed bylaws include: 

  • No significant material changes to requirements for delegation
  • Limits and requirements for delegation to dental assistants has not materially changed
  • Some sections reorganized for greater clarity

Note: BCCOHP is continuing to explore options to establish further bylaws that will enable regulation of dental assistants beyond April 1, 2026. Section 539 of the Health Professions and Occupations Act (Bill 36) provides a provision to continue to regulate certified non registrants. 

Full bylaw part: Delegation >>

Posting date: Monday, September 8, 2025  |  Feedback due: Friday, October 31, 2025  |  Status: Closed

Overview 

This part of the proposed bylaws sets out the structure of BCCOHP’s Quality Assurance Program (as set out in the HPOA).  

Notable changes under the proposed bylaws include: 

  • This bylaw part is drafted to accommodate ongoing development of the BCCOHP Quality Assurance (QA) Program
  • The purpose of a QA Program under the HPOA is to assist licensees to improve their own professional performance and identify issues of professional performance
  • The Registrar is responsible for establishing and administering the QA Program
  • This bylaw part sets out eligibility requirements for QA Assessors and QA Officers as required by the HPOA and for the conduct of a QA Assessment
  • Specific detailed QA requirements for each profession found in the current bylaws to be established in policy

Full bylaw part: Quality assurance >>

Posting date: Monday, September 8, 2025  |  Feedback due: Friday, October 31, 2025  |  Status: Closed

Overview 

This part of the proposed bylaws sets out the structure of BCCOHP’s complaints, discipline and unauthorized practice processes, and the monitoring program (as set out in the HPOA). 

Notable changes under the proposed bylaws include: 

  • Under the HPOA, the Inquiry Committee becomes the Investigation Committee
  • The Discipline Committee is discontinued as the discipline process will be under the office of the Director of Discipline within the Office of the Superintendent
  • Complaints can be submitted by any means, not only written and signed by a complainant
  • The Registrar is authorized to address certain disciplinary issues as “administrative matters” rather than referring them on to the Investigation Committee
  • Colleges must establish monitoring programs for general contraventions by licensees and for instances of unauthorized practice
  • Bylaws incorporate new processes mandated by the HPOA

Full bylaw part: Public protection >>

Posting date: Monday, September 8, 2025  |  Feedback due: Friday, October 31, 2025 |  Status: Closed

Overview 

These bylaws provide detail in respect of a new set of programs mandated under Division 5 of the HPOA. The HPOA states that a board must make bylaws with respect to the following: “establishing or participating in, and administering, each type of support program;”.

All colleges must establish and administer three types of programs:

  • Information Services Program
  • Support Services Program
  • Support Worker Program

Note that the Support Programs bylaws do not have a corresponding part in the current BCCOHP bylaws under the current HPA.

Full bylaw part: Support programs >>

Posting date: Friday, November 14, 2025  |  Feedback due: Friday, November 28, 2025.  |  Status: Open

Provide feedback here >>

Overview 

These bylaws are required by the Oral Health Professionals Regulation and will apply to non-hospital surgical facilities in which dentistry is practised. They have been drafted to transition BCCOHP’s current Sedation and General Anesthesia Program into a formal program for the accreditation of facilities where such health services are delivered.

Note that the Accreditation bylaws do not have a corresponding part in the current BCCOHP bylaws under the current HPA.

Full bylaw part: Accreditation >>

Posting date: Friday, November 14, 2025  |  Feedback due: Friday, November 28, 2025.  |  Status: Open

Provide feedback here >>

Overview 

This part of the proposed bylaws sets out the structure of BCCOHP’s health monitoring program (as set out in the HPOA).  

Notable changes under the proposed bylaws include: 

  • This is a new bylaw part to provide for the continuing operation of BCCOHP’s health monitoring program for licensees (currently registrants)

Full bylaw part: Health monitoring >> 

Posting date: Monday, September 8, 2025  |  Feedback due: Friday, October 31, 2025  |  Status: Closed

Posting date: Monday, September 8, 2025  |  Feedback due: Friday, October 31, 2025 | Status: Closed