CEOs Appointed for Two Future Multi-profession Colleges

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.

Role of the CEOs before 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.

Proposed new college name

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.

Name Proposed for New Multi-Profession College

On December 1, 2023, the Ministry of Health posted proposed amendments to the regulations of seven colleges to reflect the proposed name for the new multi-profession regulatory college that will be the result of amalgamating the following colleges effective June 28, 2024:

  • College of Occupational Therapists of BC
  • 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

The name for the new college being proposed by the Ministry of Health is The College of Health and Care Professionals of BC.

If you choose to, you can submit feedback on the proposed name directly to the Ministry of Health until January 12, 2024, by emailing PROREGADMIN@gov.bc.ca.

The Ministry of Health is responsible for the decision on the college’s name.

As a reminder, the College of Occupational Therapists of BC 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. This initiative is informed by the Cayton Report and the 2020 Recommendations of the Steering Committee on Modernization of Health Professional Regulation. More information about the government’s initiative to modernize the provincial health profession regulatory framework is available on the Ministry of Health’s Professional Regulation web page.

Updates about amalgamation will be posted on the COTBC website.

Read FAQs about the name proposed for the new multi-profession college.

2023 AGM: Registration and Call for Questions

COTBC’s 2023 AGM will be held Thursday, November 16, 2023 from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm.

This year’s AGM will be conducted virtually. Your questions are important to us and given the online format, participants will be able to observe the proceedings, and listen, but will not be able to talk directly to the presenters during the meeting itself.

The following is provided for your reference:

Your questions are important to us. If you wish to submit a question to be answered during the AGM, please email it to info@cotbc.org by November 7, at 5:00 pm, and enter ‘AGM 2023 Question’ in the subject line.

Questions will be themed and where possible, answered during a scheduled Q&A portion of the agenda.

To attend, please register at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYkcumgrzIuGdTtndfixZn2hd2dAvsrX1uX.

Following the AGM, the College will upload a video of the proceedings to our website.

We hope to see you on Thursday, November 16, 2023 from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm.

Health Regulatory Colleges Release Joint Apology and Commitment to Action Report

Nine BC health profession regulatory colleges, including COTBC, have jointly released a comprehensive progress report outlining Indigenous cultural safety, humility, and anti-racism activities in the two years since signing a Statement of Apology and Commitment to Action.

The release of this Joint Apology and Commitment to Action 2021-2023 Report (PDF) coincides with and recognizes Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, both on September 30, 2023. This day also marks the one-year anniversary of the ceremony held with 11 BC health profession regulatory colleges to launch the Indigenous Cultural Safety, Humility, and Anti-Racism Standard of Practice.

In the report’s summary, the colleges recognize “that we are at the beginning of a lifelong journey that is personal and professional, individual and collective…. We remain committed to this work, recognizing that we must be persistent in acknowledging and dismantling historic and ongoing Indigenous-specific racism everywhere that it exists.”

Notice of Bylaw Amendment, College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia

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

Career Opportunity: Manager, Quality Assurance Program (QAP) and Practice Advisor

We’re recruiting a dynamic individual to join our engaged team. In this role, you’ll manage and implement the Quality Assurance Program in a fun and progressive work environment. This is an ideal opportunity for someone passionate about the future of health regulation in BC!

This role is responsible for ensuring the College meets its mandate as outlined in the BC Health Professions Act for registering Occupational Therapists in BC and delivering the Quality Assurance Program that supports and monitors the competence of BC Occupational Therapists as part of protecting the public.

If you want to learn more about this exciting opportunity, including responsibilities, required qualifications and how to apply, download the Manager, Quality Assurance Program (QAP) and Practice Advisor Position Summary (PDF).