The British Columbia government consolidated 11 health colleges into two, laying the foundations for stronger oversight.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said the merger of the colleges was part of the Government's plans to make the regulation of health professionals more consistent and robust.
The new British Columbia Health Professionals Association will oversee roles such as dietitians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, optometrists, opticians, psychologists and speech-language-hearing specialists.
The British Columbia Association of Complementary Health Practitioners regulates chiropractors, massage therapists, naturopaths, acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.
This latest change means British Columbia will be left with six health professions schools, down from 15 at the start of the merger process, marking the final merger in the Ministry of Health's plan to modernize the health professions regulatory framework.
Earlier this month, the government announced that Shelley Young would lead a newly established Health Professionals Regulatory Authority to oversee the more than 120,000 regulated health professionals in B.C. and ensure the college is transparent, accountable and operates in the public interest.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 28, 2024.
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