Our Regulatory Role

The College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC) regulates nine health professions in BC: registered audiologists, dietitians, hearing instrument practitioners, occupational therapists, opticians, optometrists, physical therapists, psychologists, and speech-language pathologists.

The Health Professions Act (HPA) mandates CHCPBC to protect the public by ensuring that these health professionals have the competencies needed to practise and that they adhere to the standards needed for safe and ethical care.

As a health profession regulator, CHCPBC’s role is separate and distinct from that of a professional association. To be an effective, impartial, and transparent regulator, it is important that CHCPBC does not step outside of its regulatory duties as prescribed by the HPA.


Regulator	Professional Association
Registration is mandatory.	Membership is optional.
“Registrant” refers to those licenced and regulated by the regulator.	“Member” refers to those who the association acts to support.
CHCPBC is accountable to the BC Government (through the Ministry of Health) and the general public.	Professional associations are accountable to their members.
CHCPBC is neutral and impartial, acting in the public interest.	Professional associations advocate for the profession(s) and acts in the interest of their members.
Key functions	May have the following functions
As mandated by the HPA and regulations, setting and enforcing: Entry-to-practice requirements Bylaws Standards of practice Codes of ethics/conduct Requirements for quality practice (quality assurance/continuing competence) Investigating complaints about CHCPBC registrants, investigating complaints about unauthorized practice and title violations, and taking disciplinary action where required	Advocating for issues that impact the professions Advocating for practitioners to engage in policy development Providing education and professional development opportunities Providing networking opportunities

Under the HPA, CHCPBC also regulates the issuance and renewal of health profession corporation permits for optometry and physical therapy registrants.

Despite the word “College” in our name, CHCPBC is not an educational institution.