As of April 1, 2015, the title “Homeopath” has been restricted to Registrants of the College. All practitioners are required to remove the title from their websites, business cards, and email signatures until their registration with the College is confirmed and they have been issued a registration number.
Any individual wishing to practise homeopathy and use the title “Homeopath” in Ontario must register with the College. The application deadline for current practitioners to apply through the Grandparented Class closed on April 1, 2016.
Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991
The Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA), which came into force on December 31, 1993, and amended in June 2007, provides a common legislative framework under which all regulated health professions in Ontario must function. Currently 28 health professions (25 fully regulated, 3 transitional) are regulated under the RHPA.
The underlying objectives of the RHPA are:
To protect the public from harm and from unqualified, incompetent or unfit providers.
To promote safe, high quality care;
To make regulated health professions accountable to the public;
To provide patients/clients access to health-care professionals of their choice;
To achieve equality and consistency by requiring all regulated health professions adhere to the same purposes, procedures and public interest principles;
To treat individual patients/clients and health professionals in an equitable manner. RHPA assigns duties and responsibilities to:
The Minister of Health and Long-Term Care;
The Colleges that regulate health professions;
The Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council; and
The Health Professions Appeal and Review Board.
Please click here to view the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 on e-Laws.
Homeopathy Act, 2007
Every regulated health profession in Ontario has, in addition to the RHPA, a profession-specific Act which establishes a regulatory college responsible for governing the profession to ensure the public is protected. The Homeopathy Act, 2007 establishes the College of Homeopathy of Ontario.
The Homeopathy Act, 2007 sets out:
The scope of practice of homeopathy is defined as “…the assessment of body system disorders and treatment using homeopathic techniques to promote, maintain or restore health”;
Title protection, authorizing only members of the College of Homeopathy of Ontario the use of the title “homeopath”, a variation or abbreviation or an equivalent in another language;
The composition of the College Council; And it empowers:
The appointment of the transitional Council and Registrar by the Lieutenant Governor in Council;
The transitional Council and Registrar to implement the Homeopathy Act, 2007 and the RHPA.
Please click here to view the Homeopathy Act, 2007 on e-Laws.