BC merges 11 health colleges into just two

VICTORIA, BC – British Columbia’s government has amalgamated 11 health-professional colleges into two, setting the foundation for what it says is stronger oversight. Health Minister Adrian Dix says merging the colleges is part of the government’s plan to ensure health professionals are regulated more consistently and robustly.

The new College of Health and Care Professionals of BC will oversee roles including dietitians, occupational and physical therapists, optometrists and opticians, psychologists, and speech and hearing professionals.

The College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC will regulate chiropractors, massage therapists, naturopathic physicians, acupuncturists and practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine.

The government announced that Sherri Young (pictured) will lead the new Office of the Superintendent of Health Professions, which governs more than 120,000 regulated health professionals in BC, to ensure the colleges are transparent, accountable and operating in the public interest.

Young brings significant experience to the role of superintendent, having most recently served as the public service commissioner in the Yukon for the past two years, contributing to the establishment of a future health authority, and development of the human health resources strategy for the Yukon.

The latest changes leave six health-professional colleges in BC, down from 15 when work began on the mergers, and they were the final amalgamations in the Health Ministry’s plan to modernize the health-profession regulatory framework.