Ontario Regulation History
Current as of August 6, 2013
Ontario Alliance of Mental Health Practitioners
A group of professional associations called the Ontario Alliance of Mental Health Practitioners was formed in 2002. This group consists of representatives from 14 different organizations, including CCPA. The Alliance has had significant input related to the regulatory initiatives undertaken by the Ontario Ministry of Health.
The many practitioners represented by the Alliance have a variety of professional titles, including counsellor, therapist, and psychotherapist. We anticipate that most of these professionals will be eligible for entry into this new regulatory College and that this will include our Ontario CCPA members who have acquired the status of Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCC). Of course we are not certain of this outcome since the many elements of this new regulations law such as, qualifications for entry, have not received final approval from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care..
Transitional Council
In 2007, the Government of Ontario passed legislation to amend the Regulated Health Professions Act by adding to it a new section entitled Schedule R: Registered Psychotherapy and Registered Mental Health Therapists Act. The Act makes provisions for the creation of a regulatory college to regulate, for the first time, professionals with the titles Registered Psychotherapist and Registered Mental Health Therapist. Having passed this Act there is now activity directed at developing the administrative protocols and standards to operationalize this new legislation.
The group that establishes the regulations and protocols is called the Transitional Council. The Transitional Council members (who will articulate the entry requirements for this new College) were appointed on October 23, 2009. The Transitional Council of the College of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists maintains a website with the latest developments concerning regulation in Ontario.
It should be noted that in January of 2013, the Ministry of Long-Term Care clarified the scope for the regulation of the profession in Ontario. The title of Registered Mental Health Therapist has been placed on hold until further studies can be conducted. Therefore only the title of Registered Psychotherapist will be available when the new College begins operation.
In order for the College to begin operations, the Psychotherapy Act, 2007 must be fully proclaimed by the Ontario Government. Currently, only provisions relating to the appointment of the Council and Registrar, and operation of the transitional Council have been proclaimed. Full proclamation will not occur until the draft regulations have been approved by government, and other programs and processes are in place, now expected by April 1, 2014.
The transitional Council is still in the process of developing the regulations and programs that must be in place before the new College can commence operations. The College hopes to begin pre-registration for grandparenting applicants by October 2013 and for regular applicants by January 2014.
There is comprehensive information on their website and all practitioners in Ontario are urged to continually refer to this site as new information is appearing monthly.
After the new Ontario Psychotherapy Act is enacted and the new Ontario College of Registered Psychotherapists is officially established, if a Registered Psychotherapist wishes to carry on his or her practice through a corporation, he or she must do so as a “professional corporation” incorporated under the provisions of the Ontario Business Corporations Act (“OBCA”).
For more information about professional corporations, please click here.