Those amendments were intended to accomplish a number of objectives including clarifying the educational requirements for registration, entrenching within the regulation certain matters currently managed by administrative policies (e.g., that an application for registration is valid for two years) and ensuring that the provisions for applicants currently registered as an optometrist in another Canadian jurisdiction are in compliance with the labour mobility provisions of the Regulated Health Professions Act.
The vast majority of the feedback received was supportive of the proposed changes. There were, however, two issues that the College Council felt deserved consideration. One is to ensure that the provisions of the regulation are fully transparent. Once the proposed Registration Regulation is enacted by Government, a guideline document with explanations and examples will be made publicly available on the College website.
The second issue is related to the educational requirements for registration. In response to concerns expressed by some members and stakeholders, the Council believes that it is in the public interest to make some amendments to paragraph 6 of the proposed Registration Regulation. These amendments are intended to give the College full control over recognition of educational requirements while at the same time providing some flexibility to the Council to respond to the changing environment and to ensure that all qualified candidates have an appropriate pathway to registration.
The Regulated Health Professions Act requires Council to circulate new regulations and regulatory amendments to members for comment. The first document below shows the amended paragraph 6 with explanatory notes for the amendments that have been made. The second document below is a complete copy of the proposed Registration Regulation as circulated in October 2010 showing how the amended paragraph 6 fits into the regulation as a whole.
- Amended paragraph 6 of the proposed Registration Regulation with explanatory notes
- Complete copy of the proposed Registration Regulation with amended paragraph 6.
If you wish to comment on these amendments to the Registration Regulation, please do so in writing and send your response by July 21, 2011 to the attention of Ms Valerie Browne, Assistant Registrar. Comments may be submitted by mail, fax or email.
College of Optometrists of Ontario
6 Crescent Road, 2nd Floor
Toronto, ON M4W 1T1
Fax: 416.962.4073Email: stakeholderinput@collegeoptom.on.ca