Health Professions and Occupations Act

On November 24, 2022, the BC government passed the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA), previously known as Bill 36. The government has stated that the aim of this new legislation is to create a modernized regulatory framework for health colleges to better serve the public interest. The HPOA comes into force on April 1, 2026, and will replace the current Health Professions Act (HPA).

Doctors of BC and others have criticized the lack of meaningful engagement and consultation with physicians and other health care providers during this legislative process. While we support the HPOA's intentions to modernize the legislation and enhance cultural safety, we are concerned about several aspects of the legislative framework, such as government-appointed boards, changes to disciplinary processes, disclosure of minor disciplinary actions, and the removal of appeal rights.

To support your understanding of the HPOA and its implications, please see:

• A one-page summary highlighting the areas where we see value and those of concern.
• A more in-depth analysis of key components of the HPOA and their anticipated impact.

We will continue to keep you informed about our ongoing advocacy and update you on any new developments.

To comply with its regulatory requirements, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC has revised its bylaws to reflect the provisions of the HPOA. Following its consultation with the public and health care partners, the College published its finalized bylaws and information on educational webinars regarding the upcoming changes under the HPOA on October 31, 2025. Stay informed on updates from the College.

To reduce the burden and help you better understand what the draft bylaws mean for doctors, Doctors of BC reviewed and analyzed four successive batches of College bylaws released during their consultation period (March to August 2025), highlighting key changes and potential areas of concern. We also conducted comprehensive member engagement, seeking your input to inform our collective response to the College on behalf of physicians.

• Read more about our engagement and our HPOA and College Bylaws What We Heard Report.
• Read Doctors of BC’s Submission to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC on their draft HPOA-related bylaws.

President’s Letters

• President's Letter, August 13: Doctors of BC submission on HPOA-related bylaws
• President's Letter, July 31: Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) to come into force April 1, 2026
• President's Letter, July 4: HPOA Update on Doctors of BC’s strategic response
• President's Letter, May 15: HPOA Update: Resources for member input
• President's Letter, April 11: Share your input: Health Professions and Occupations Act bylaw consultation
• President’s Letter, February 28: Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) Bylaw Consultations

Bylaw analysis

• Group 1, CPSBC Board, Committees, CPSBC Records and Information, Permits, Professional Responsibilities: Summary | In-depth analysis
• Group 2, Blood-Borne Communicable Diseases, Health Monitoring, Licensure, Quality Assurance: Summary | In-depth analysis
• Group 3, Accreditation, College Administration, General, Interpretation, Public Protection: Summary | In-depth analysis
• Group 4, Delegation, Support Programs: Summary | In-depth analysis

We were first informed of possible changes to the Health Professions Act in 2018, with the release of the Cayton Report. Since then, Doctors of BC has advocated on your behalf with the Ministry of Health, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, and other health colleges, while also working to keep you updated on the impending changes.

2025

• In a letter to the Minister of Health, we outlined our key concerns with the HPOA and called for an immediate pause on further implementation of the new legislation.
• We reiterated our concerns in meetings with Ministry of Health representatives and continue to raise them. 
• Between April and August 2025, we engaged members, seeking your input to guide our HPOA advocacy and our collective response to the College on its draft bylaws that outline the provisions of the new legislation. 

2022–2024

• To support your understanding of the changes and the impact on physicians, we held a town hall webinar in which government staff outlined the reasons for the HPOA and explained what it means for doctors; this was followed by a discussion with Doctors of BC leaders on the next steps to effectively advocate on behalf of the profession. View the Health Professions and Occupations Act webinar summary.
• We actively voiced our concerns about the process and lack of physician engagement and input in the media, stating the “process matters as much as the outcome, and many physicians have been blindsided by a process they weren’t fully informed about."
• We shared our concerns and our position on the Act with members via a President’s Letter.
• We engaged with other professional associations; this work continues.

2020

• We provided further input during government’s second round of engagement and consultation prior to the introduction of the HPOA: Submission to the Steering Committee–January 24, 2020.

2019

• We provided input during the first round of engagement and consultation prior to the introduction of the HPOA: Submission–June 14, 2019.