Road to Regulation
The Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA), which was proclaimed on December 31, 1993, provided provides a common framework for the regulation of Ontario’s regulated health professions. Under the provisions of the RHPA, the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care may refer matters pertaining to the regulation of health professionals to the Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC) for its review and recommendations.
The Minister’s referral to HPRAC regarding the regulation of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture started in 1994.
June 1994 and March 1995
The Honourable Ruth Grier, the then Minister of Health made two separate referrals to the HPRAC regarding, respectively, the regulation of traditional Chinese medicine and the regulation of acupuncture under the RHPA.
December 1996
HPRAC submitted its report on acupuncture to the then Minister of Health, the Honourable David Johnson. Work on the traditional Chinese medicine referral continued.
February 1999
The Honourable Elizabeth Witmer, the then Minister of Health, requested HPRAC to provide additional advice on the regulation of acupuncture in conjunction with its ongoing work respecting traditional Chinese medicine. This request for more information was in recognition of changes in the regulatory and healthcare environment since the report provided in 1996.
April 2001
The Honourable Tony Clement, the then Minister of Health and Long-Term Care received advice from HPRAC on the regulation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and acupuncture, which replaced the advice given in 1996 on acupuncture. HPRAC recommended that the profession of TCM be regulated under the RHPA through the enactment of a proposed Traditional Chinese Medicine Act and the creation of a new college.
2003
Following the advice of HPRAC, an Advisory Committee of individuals both in the profession and others who were appointed by the Minister was formed to provide supplementary advice to the Minister on the regulation of TCM and acupuncture. However, work was suspended prior to the Committee reaching any conclusions when an election was called. No further work was subsequently undertaken by the Committee.
March 10, 2005
Prior to developing legislation, the Honourable George Smitherman, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, requested four Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) to undertake, on his behalf, consultations to gather views of Ontarians on the best and safest way to regulate TCM practitioners. The Consultation Group comprised:
Tony Wong, the then MPP for Markham (Chair)
Mike Colle, the then MPP for Eglinton-Lawrence
Peter Fonseca,
the then MPP for Mississauga East
Richard Patten, the then MPP for Ottawa Centre
Specifically, the MPP Group, was asked to provide information on three topics of interest:
- The education and training that TCM and acupuncture practitioners in Ontario have acquired to support their practice;
- The practice of TCM, the performance of acupuncture by TCM practitioners, and the performance of acupuncture by regulated health practitioners and others in Ontario; and
- The use of Chinese herbal remedies within the practice of TCM in Ontario.
During the consultation, the MPP Group heard from some 100 presenters and received over 200 submissions.
July 2005
The MPP Group delivered a report to Minister Smitherman recommending, among other things, the regulation of TCM and acupuncture within the context of TCM under a new profession specific Act and that a new regulatory College for TCM be created.
Information from the consultation and previous advice of HPRAC assisted the Minister in making a decision on the most appropriate way to regulate the TCM profession.
December 2005
The Minister responded by introducing Bill 50, which became the Traditional Chinese Medicine Act, 2006. When fully in force, the Act will establishes the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario (CTCMPAO) with the goal of ensuring public safety through effective regulation of the profession of TCM.
December 20, 2006
The Traditional Chinese Medicine Act, 2006 received approval of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario permitting the Lieutenant Governor in Council to appoint a transitional Council and a Registrar with the authority to do
- anything that is necessary or advisable for the implementation of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Act, 2006; and
- anything that the regular Council and Registrar of a College could do under the Act.
September 2007
Ms. Emily Cheung was appointed to the position of Registrar by the Lieutenant Governor in Council to establish an organizational structure needed to support the work of the incoming transitional Council. The Registrar’s immediate priorities were to negotiate the location of office space with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and to carry through with outreach to practitioners informing them of the importance of participation in the regulatory process. As well, the Registrar has established working relationships with other Canadian regulators of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and/or acupuncturists.
