Health Professions and Occupations Act

Bylaws under the HPOA

Following six months of extensive consultation on the draft bylaws, the Bylaws under the HPOA have now been finalized and are published here for information. These Bylaws will be presented to the Board for approval on April 1, 2026.

CPSBC Bylaws under the HPOA

During the consultation, revisions were made to the Bylaws to improve legibility and to further clarify the intent of each part. Significant changes made to the bylaws following the consultation process are described below.

Part 3 – Committees

The feedback on part 3 underscored the importance of maintaining the profession’s voice and subject matter expertise in regulatory matters. The bylaws were revised to explicitly state that the majority of committee members must be licensees, and that public representation on committees could never be more than 50 per cent.

Part 6 – Licensure

Most of the edits to part 6 reflect recent changes to the requirements to be eligible for an independent licence to practise medicine in BC, reflecting the recognition of some extrajurisdictional credentials and streamlining some current registration processes.

Part 7 – Permits 

Edits were made to part 7 to streamline the application and renewal of permit processes. The requirement to have policies for the operation of the health profession corporation to promote anti-racism, reconciliation, Indigenous cultural safety, and advance equity, diversity and inclusion was removed. The eligibility requirements for a health professions corporation now include confirmation that all employees of the health profession corporation who will be providing health services through the corporation must have professional liability insurance or professional liability protection.

Part 9 – Delegation 

During the consultation process, it became clear that the list of aspects of practice and restricted activities which could be delegated to technicians and therapists did not align with current practices in accredited facilities. Edits were made to ensure the list was consistent with current workflows.

Part 12 – Support Programs

Edits were made to part 12 to provide greater clarity on support program services, including timelines and a maximum limit on funding of support services at $7,500.

Part 13 – Accreditation Programs

Based on feedback, edits were made to capture a detailed list of procedures and diagnostic tests that must be performed in accredited facilities or hospital settings. Some procedures were reclassified as “simple or superficial,” which means they can be performed in a licensee’s community practice.

Part 14 – Health Monitoring

Edits were made to part 14 to explicitly permit a licensee to make submissions with respect to health monitoring agreements to ensure procedural fairness.

Part 15 – Blood-borne Communicable Diseases 

Edits were made to part 15 to permit a licensee to seek a reconsideration of a committee decision and an opportunity to make submissions.

Part 16 – General 

As hearing processes across the various parts were similar, the hearing process was moved to part 16 as a standalone division.

Board composition

• All members of the board will be appointed by the Ministry of Health following a recommendation from the Superintendent of the Health Professions and Occupations Regulatory Oversight Office
• The new Health Professions Discipline Tribunal will oversee the discipline process for all regulated health professionals in BC
• The Board will consist of 50% licensees and 50% members of the public

Guiding principles

Part 1, Division 2 of the HPOA

• Protect the public from harm and discrimination
• Support and promote awareness of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and UNDRIP
• Take anti-discrimination measures
• Be fair and transparent while respecting the privacy of individuals
• Promote holistic health-care system that encourages collaboration between regulators
• Identify and remove barriers to practice
• Act in a transparent manner and provide opportunities for meaningful engagement