The College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC) is proposing an amendment to its bylaws (Part 1, section 7) in response to July 7, 2023, changes to the Health Professions Designation and Amalgamation Regulation, which will amalgamate COTBC with several other health professions regulatory colleges into a single college on June 28, 2024. A copy of that Order in Council can be found at Order in Council 421/2023 (gov.bc.ca).
The proposed bylaw amendment is subject to the notice requirement described in section 19(6.2) of the Health Professions Act. Accordingly, notice of the amendment is hereby provided to the public, the Ministry of Health, and other interested stakeholders.
The proposed amendment extends the term of office of the elected COTBC Board member for one year. This will provide for those elected board members whose terms would have expired on January 31, 2023, to continue to serve on the COTBC Board for the limited time remaining until amalgamation, when the terms of all COTBC board members will expire under section 25.05 of the Health Professions Act. Keeping these elected members on the COTBC Board in the lead up to amalgamation will allow for ongoing experience and informed governance in the final meetings of the Board. The proposed amendments are like those previously enacted by other health professions colleges as they prepared for amalgamation under the HPA.
The amendment includes the following change:
Part 1, Section 7 is repealed and replaced by the following:
Terms of office
7. (1) The term of office for an elected board member is three (3) years, beginning on February 1 of each year.
(2) An elected board member may serve a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms.
(3) A board member may resign at any time by delivering a notice in writing to the registrar and the resignation is effective upon receipt by the registrar.
(4) Despite subsection (1), the term of office for every elected board member who holds office on the date this subsection comes into force is extended by one year.
COTBC is requesting a shortened notice period from the Minister of Health. Therefore, COTBC is asking that any comments concerning the proposed amendments be sent to COTBC and the Ministry of Health no later than 4:30 pm on August 21, 2023.
View Proposed Amendments Bylaws (PDF)
View Resolution of the Board (PDF)
Comments can be sent to:
COTBC
Email: info@cotbc.org
Fax: 250-386-6824
Mail:
Carin Plischke, Registrar
College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia
402 – 3795 Carey Road, Victoria, BC V8Z 6T8
Ministry of Health
Email: PROREGADMIN@gov.bc.ca
Mail:
Director of Regulatory Initiatives Professional
Regulation Oversight Branch; Ministry of Health
515 Blanchard Street, Victoria, BC V8W 9P4
