We have launched a temporary website that provides information about the seven colleges’ amalgamation in the period leading up to June 28, 2024. The website features a news section and a dedicated page for registrants, including Frequently Asked Questions specific to registrant concerns. We will continue adding information to this website as we better understand changes and impacts closer to amalgamation.
A bursary is available to assist Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists (IEOTs) with the costs of becoming licensed to work in BC.
Health Match BC (HMBC), in partnership with the BC Ministry of Health (MoH), will support eligible IEOTs who want to work in BC by offering financial support to help pay for the credential assessment, English language proficiency testing, and eligible supplemental education. The bursary became available on January 15, 2024.
In BC, occupational therapists (OTs) must be licensed by COTBC to practice as occupational therapists. For IEOTs, the process begins through ACOTRO, the national credentialing body. To become licensed in BC, IEOTs must first apply for ACOTRO’s SEAS Program. ACOTRO will use the SEAS Program to evaluate whether an IEOT’s educational qualifications and competencies are substantially equivalent to those of a Canadian-educated occupational therapist.
The Ministry of Health has deposited regulation changes that reflect the final name for the new multi-profession regulatory college that will amalgamate:
The name for this new multi-profession college is the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC.
COTBC will amalgamate with the other six colleges to form the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC on June 28, 2024. Until then, COTBC and the other six colleges will continue to regulate health professionals.
CEOs have been appointed in anticipation of the amalgamation of 11 regulatory health colleges to form two new multi-profession colleges on June 28, 2024.
Carin Plischke, currently the Registrar and CEO of the College of Occupational Therapists of BC, has been appointed CEO of the new multi-profession college that will amalgamate the College of Chiropractors of BC, College of Massage Therapists of BC, College of Naturopathic Physicians of BC, and College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of BC on June 28, 2024. She will assume the CEO role part-time while continuing to oversee the College of Occupational Therapists of BC (COTBC) until amalgamation.
Dianne Millette, currently the Registrar of the College of Physical Therapists of BC, has been appointed CEO of the new multi-profession college that will amalgamate COTBC, the College of Dietitians of BC, College of Optometrists of BC, College of Opticians of BC, College of Physical Therapists of BC, College of Psychologists of BC, and College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC on June 28, 2024.
Dianne will also continue to oversee her college while taking on the CEO role part-time until amalgamation. With more than three decades of experience in health profession regulation, Dianne has the knowledge and skill set to successfully lead this new college after amalgamation.
Before amalgamation, the two CEO roles will focus on establishing the new colleges’ staffing and culture to ensure continuity of regulatory operations, business and budget planning, and building relationships with partners.
The Ministry of Health has proposed the following name for the new college that will amalgamate COTBC and six other colleges: The College of Health and Care Professionals of BC. The deadline for feedback on the name was January 12, 2024. We will share the new college’s name once the Ministry has decided.
As a reminder, COTBC is being directed by the Ministry of Health to amalgamate with the six other colleges. This amalgamation is part of the Ministry of Health’s multi-year initiative to modernize BC’s health profession regulatory framework. More information is available on the Ministry of Health’s Professional Regulation webpage.
We will continue to keep you updated on our website as the amalgamation work progresses.
If you have questions about this announcement, including Carin Plischke’s role in the period before amalgamation, email her at info@cotbc.org.
The College published a new set of FAQs regarding the proposed amendments to the Occupational Therapists Regulation.
The FAQs respond to the following questions:
If you have comments on the proposed regulation, we encourage you to respond to the Ministry of Health via PROREGADMIN@gov.bc.ca.
Please see the updated Practice Across Jurisdictions webpage for updates on providing virtual care within Canada and internationally.
For further inquiries, contact our registration team at info@cotbc.org or our practice advisors at practice@cotbc.org after checking our FAQs.
