Health Professions and Occupations Act

About the HPOA

The Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) will replace the Health Professions Act (HPA) as the governing legislation for the regulation of health professions in BC on April 1, 2026. Until then, the HPA remains in effect. For more information about the HPOA, see the information below and on the right side of this page, read FAQs, and watch the HPOA Licensee Webinar Series.

Changes resulting from the Health Professions and Occupations Act

The HPOA will result in some key changes, including:

• New requirements for committing to cultural safety and humility, 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;
• A set of guiding principles that health professions regulators will be required to adhere to;
• An expanded list of duties that regulated health professionals will be required to uphold;
• Changes in regulatory language, including referring to “licensees” instead of “registrants.”

Draft CHCPBC bylaws under the HPOA

CHCPBC is drafting and seeking feedback on new College Bylaws that reflect these and other changes under the HPOA. Full parts of the draft bylaws, and overviews, have been posted for consultation.

Health Professions Regulations

The BC government has posted updates to the regulations for health professions to align them with the HPOA. The regulations outline the name of the college that regulates each health profession, reserved titles, scope of practice statements, activities restricted to the health profession, and limits or conditions on practice.

• Health and Care Professionals Regulation (specific to professions regulated by CHCPBC)
• Regulated Health Practitioners Regulation
• Health Professions and Occupations Regulation

While the updated regulations are now publicly available, they will not be in effect until April 1, 2026, when the HPOA comes into force.

CHCPBC is currently reviewing the updated regulations and will provide further information about them, including implications they may have on the College and professional practice.

Regulation of Psychotherapists

The updated regulations will also add new health professions to BC’s health regulatory framework. On November 29, 2027, psychotherapists will be regulated by CHCPBC.

For more information about the updated regulations and regulation of psychotherapists, see the BC Government’s Health Professions and Occupations Act webpage and Health Professions and Occupations Act Q&A. 

Health Professions and Occupations Regulatory Oversight Office

The HPOA establishes the independent Health Professions and Occupations Regulatory Oversight Office (HPOROO). The HPOROO, which is accountable to the HPOA, will oversee BC health profession regulatory colleges and ensure they act within their mandate. The office will:

• House a new independent Health Professions Discipline Tribunal that will hold disciplinary hearings to determine disciplinary action after a complaint has been made against a regulated health professional and an investigation has been conducted;
• Make recommendations to the BC Minister of Health on board appointments for the colleges;
• Conduct designation assessments into whether groups of health service providers should become regulated under the HPOA.

Sherri Young has been appointed as the Superintendent to lead the office. Benson Cowan has been appointed as the Director of Discipline to manage the Discipline Tribunal.