COTBC News Archives - College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia

Registrants Invited to Review New Competencies

December 8, 2021

The College is pleased to announce the release of the Competencies for Occupational Therapists in Canada, a single set of competencies that clarifies occupational therapy as a profession in Canada to advance safe, effective, and ethical patient care. It is an important milestone for the profession as this document will ultimately replace four competency documents used in Canada.

The Competencies for Occupational Therapists in Canada was developed with guidance from occupational therapists and stakeholders across Canada and steered through a tripartite collaboration of the Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations, the Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy University Programs, and the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists.

Implementing the new competencies will take time. A timeline for rollout over the next year is being established. There is considerable work to do internally at COTBC to move forward on integrating the new competencies into our regulatory programs. A sound implementation plan will determine an effective date for the new competencies.

The College has partnered with the other OT regulators in Canada to develop an e-learning module anticipated for launch in June 2022 to help registrants familiarize themselves with the competencies and understand how to apply them to their practice.

Why is this new set of competencies important?

The new Competencies for Occupational Therapists in Canada reflect the broad range of skills and abilities required of all occupational therapists in Canada at every stage of their career. They also serve to guide various profession quality assurance processes such as provincial regulatory activities, accreditation of educational programs, entry-level examinations, and continuing professional development. The goal of the competencies is to reduce confusion, ensure consistency, and avoid duplication.

What should BC-registered occupational therapists do with the new competencies?

Occupational therapists in BC should stay informed and understand how to apply the new competencies into their practice. The College will provide more information about the timeline for the rollout in BC. Our goal is to ensure we have done all we can to support registrants to learn about and know when they will be accountable to the new Competencies for Occupational Therapists in Canada.

Inquiries or requests for information may be sent to info@cotbc.org.

This project was funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program.

Recording of COTBC 2021 Annual General Meeting Available

November 16, 2021

The College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia held their 2021 annual general meeting on Friday, November 5, via Zoom. You can watch or listen to the recorded virtual meeting including answers to questions the College received in advance of the event.

Questions answered in the virtual AGM:

1. Is there anything new you can tell us about the Ministry of Health’s recommendations to reduce the number of colleges, where COTBC merges into a multi-profession college?
2. Will COVID-19 vaccination be required to be registered as an occupational therapist in British Columbia? Should I choose to go off the register because of my vaccination choices, or if I am currently off the register, and want to return to practice, what will the requirements be?
3. Is there a plan to update the Occupational Therapists Regulation so that occupational therapists can perform restricted activities, such as acupuncture?
4. Can the College elaborate on the changes to the Quality Assurance Program that were described in the current Annual Report?

For your reference, please see the 2020-2021 Annual Report.

Quality Assurance Program Request for Proposals

November 8, 2021

COTBC’s Board recently approved changes to the Quality Assurance Program framework, as recommended by the Quality Assurance Committee.

COTBC has issued a request for proposals from those with subject matter expertise to assist the College in moving from the former Continuing Competence Exam to a two-step process of screening and evaluating competence. Please note, the deadline for submissions is December 17, 2021.

View the RFP: Quality Assurance Program (QAP) Development and Evaluation

Voting Open for Three Board Positions

November 8, 2021

The voting process for three Board positions is now open and takes place online. Full and provisional registrants in good standing are able to vote for up to three candidates, from a pool of four nominated occupational therapists.

The Board election will be open until 4:00 pm December 9, 2021. Instructions have been emailed to registrants with a link to the voting portal, the access code and password. Once you’ve logged in, you can review information about the election, read candidate bios and follow ballot instructions. Results for the election will be published on the College website in early December.

The Board is the College’s governing body and receives its authority from the Health Professions Act. The Board is responsible for the leadership, direction and strategy of the College. Building a great Board is more than simply filling a seat. It’s about finding occupational therapists with the experience and perspectives that support a Board, which works together and is clearly focused on its mandate to protect the public. Visit our website to review the obligations of Board members.

The College holds its elections securely online. An external firm electronically delivers a ballot to each practising registrant eligible to vote. The electronic ballot method ensures the vote is confidential, and that each registrant can only vote one time. If you have any questions, please email us at: info@cotbc.org

Thank you for taking the time to vote. Registrant participation on the Board is a healthy reflection of the profession’s commitment to protecting the public.

Register for 2021 Annual General Meeting

November 2, 2021

COTBC’s 2021 AGM happens this Friday, November 5, 2021, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm.

In the continuing interest of safety and to best support registrants from across the province to attend, this year’s AGM will be conducted virtually. To attend, please register in advance.

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:

Thanks to those occupational therapists who submitted their questions in advance of the meeting. After reviewing and theming the submissions, the following questions will be answered during the AGM Q&A Session:

Is there anything new you can tell us about the Ministry of Health’s recommendations to reduce the number of colleges, where COTBC merges into a multi-profession college?
Will COVID-19 vaccination be required to be registered as an occupational therapist in British Columbia? Should I choose to go off the register because of my vaccination choices, or if I am currently off the register, and want to return to practice, what will the requirements be?
Is there a plan to update the Occupational Therapists Regulation so that occupational therapists can perform restricted activities, such as acupuncture?
Can the College elaborate on the changes to the Quality Assurance Program that were described in the current Annual Report?

We encourage you to join a few minutes early to allow time to troubleshoot any connection issues. Following the AGM, the College will upload a video of the proceedings to the website.