Elections

The College of Optometrists of Ontario is guided by the decisions and policies made by our Council. The College Council acts as a board of directors and is responsible for setting policies and making decisions in the public interest.

Council is comprised of:

  • 9 elected optometrists
  • 1 selected optometrist who belongs to the optometry faculty at the University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science
  • 8 members of the public who are appointed by the Ontario Government

Council makes important decisions that shape the regulation of optometry and promote public safety. Registrants who are on Council do not represent the profession but make decisions with the public interest in mind.

Serving on Council

Serving on Council gives you a first-hand look at professional regulation and provides a valuable opportunity to build public trust and contribute to the profession. Council members regularly say that their work with the College is rewarding and compliments their clinical practice.

Important details:

  • Members are elected for a three-year term, beginning in January.
  • There are 5 Council meetings a year, as well as an orientation, all of which are held either in Toronto or virtually.
  • Optometrists are remunerated for College activities, including travel expenses and preparation time, subject to the College’s policies.
  • Council members are also appointed to at least one committee.
  • Time commitments for Council members vary depending on committee appointments and range from 18 – 22 days per year.
  • To read about the expectations of Council members, please visit our Council & Committee webpage.

Each year, we hold an election (usually in the fall) when optometrists elect their professional members. Seats on Council represent the province in six electoral (geographic) districts. Optometrists who work or live in those districts can run for election and/or vote for Council members to represent their district.

2024 Elections

Check back in July to view the districts that have available seats.

View the electoral districts map to figure out which district you reside in.

Elections Process

We encourage all registrants who are in good standing and have a desire to make a positive impact on the regulation of optometry to consider running in an upcoming election. Running in an election is easy and only requires self-nomination!

The College welcomes all nominees and encourages those who are representative of the Ontario population and are at different stages in their careers, including optometrists who are newly graduated, in the middle of their careers, or nearing retirement. We also encourage optometrists who have experience in governance, human resources, finance/business, or communications to consider this rewarding opportunity.

Eligibility

You are eligible to run in the election if you:

  1. Principally reside or practise optometry in the district for which you are running for
  2. Hold a general or academic certificate of registration
  3. Are in good standing
  4. Agree to resign from any position within a professional association linked to optometry

To view the College’s full eligibility requirements in detail, please view Section 6.04 the College By-laws.

Nominations & Running in the Election

The steps to run in the election will be updated with the appropriate links when the nomination period is open. Self-nominations usually open in July. Check back soon!

Prior to self-nominating, please ensure you review the college by-laws for eligibility.

The steps to submit a self-nomination include:

1. Completing a self-nomination form.
In addition to answering the questions on the form, you will be asked to submit the following:

  1. Your CV/Resume
  2. A short biography, which should outline your academic, practice, and volunteer experience (250-word maximum).
  3. A statement on public protection (100 words or less) that sets out how you propose to ensure public protection if elected. These statements:
                   – should reflect an understanding of the College’s public-interest mandate and    should not be an effort at advocacy or self-promotion;
                   – should not suggest that Council members represent optometrists in their district,    as they actually represent the members of the public of their district; and
                   – will be reviewed. Nominees will be asked to revise any statement that is           inappropriate or exceeds the word limit.

You can either draft or copy and paste the information into the application form. Biographies and statements will be publicly available on the College website in advance of voting.

2. Attend an Orientation Session
Once your self-nomination has been finalized, you will be contacted by a College employee to participate in an orientation session. These orientation sessions, which take place before voting closes, are a benchmark within the College Performance Measurement Framework (CPMF), and are designed to ensure that nominees fully understand the role, function, and importance of regulatory colleges.

Voting

 Registrants who reside in the district(s) with available seats and are eligible to vote will receive an email when voting opens for the election.

Contact us if you have any questions about the elections process. We can also put you in contact with a fellow optometrist who serves on Council to speak about their experience.

Related FAQs

  • Elected Council members are expected to attend all Council meetings, which are generally held four times per year (March, June, September and December) at the College office in Toronto or virtually, when in person is not possible. Additional teleconferences may be called in between Council meetings as needed.

    Council members will also be appointed to one or more committees, which hold meetings and teleconferences throughout the year. Depending on the committee, members can expect 7-14 days per year.

    In addition, Council and committee members are expected to:

    Understand and fulfill their role:

    • demonstrate accountability through decision-making in the public interest;
    • understand the division of roles and responsibilities of the Council or committee and staff;
    • identify and address conflict of interest situations;
    • recognize and respect confidential information obtained in the course of College activities as required by Section 36 of the RHPA;
    • maintain constructive, collaborative and mutually respectful relations with Councillors, committee members and staff; and
    • maintain good relationships with members, healthcare organizations, educational groups and other stakeholders.

    Possess the necessary knowledge:

    • acquire and apply knowledge of Council and committee policies and procedures including relevant legislation, College values and strategic direction;
    • maintain knowledge of College functions and issues facing Council or the committees on which they participate;
    • review all material in advance of Council and committee meetings;
    • identify information needed to enhance Council and committee discussions and decision-making;
    • communicate concerns to Council or the committees on which they participate;
    • communicate Council or committee decisions and rationale to individuals and groups as requested by the College.

    Effectively participate in decision-making:

    • arrange their personal schedule to allow attendance at meetings;
    • contribute constructively to Council and committee discussions and decision-making;
    • maintain positive working relationships with Councillors, committee members, and College staff;
    • identify and attempt to resolve concerns with the committee chairpersons;
    • if the committee chairperson is unable to resolve the concern, address the concern to the College President;
    • contribute to decision-making by identifying to the Chair relevant expertise or contacts;
    • respect the specialized knowledge and expertise of other Council members, committee members and staff; and
    • identify issues to be added to the Council or committee’s agenda in a timely and appropriate manner.

  • Optometrists must submit the self-nomination form no later than 30 days before the election.

    Optometrists must reside and/or practice optometry in the district in which they are seeking election.

    Members must be in good standing with the College to run in the election.

    Full eligibility criteria are outlined in section 6.04 and 6.05 of the College by-laws.

  • Elections are generally called in the fall, no later than the end of November each year.

    A call for self-nominations is made at least 60 days before the election date.

    Elections take place in different districts in different years, and only members who are eligible to run in a particular election will be invited to submit nominations.

  • Nominees cannot send out information directly to other optometrists.

    Nominees are asked to provide the College with a short biography that outlines their academic, practice and volunteer experience (250-word maximum).

    The College will also ask each nominee to provide a statement (100 words or less) that sets out how they propose to ensure public protection if elected. These statements:

    • should reflect an understanding of the College’s public-interest mandate and should not be an effort at advocacy or self-promotion;
    • should not suggest that Council members represent optometrists in their district, as they actually represent the members of the public of their district; and
    • will be reviewed. Nominees will be asked to revise any statement that is inappropriate.

    Biographies and statements will be publicly available on the College website in advance of voting.

  • If you are interested in participating on a statutory committee, you can apply as a non-Council Committee member rather than running for a seat on Council.

    Learn more about volunteering for a committee.