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• Your Optician's certificate displayed prominently

Public Notice of
Data Collection 
Source: Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, Health Human Resources Strategy Division

Collection of data for the Allied Health Database
The allied health regulatory Colleges will be expanding their collection of personal information about their members, including basic demographic, geographic, education and employment information, and providing this information to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care in anonymized form, for health human resources planning. 

Authority for the collection of data for the Allied Health Database
Under section 36.1 of the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA), the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (Ministry) can request that regulatory colleges collect information, including personal information, from their members, and that this information be provided to the Ministry .  The RHPA provisions authorize the Ministry to collect this information from the Colleges, and use and disclose it, only for the purpose of health human resources planning, which means ensuring the sufficiency and appropriate distribution of health providers.

If you have any questions about the collection, you can contact the Ministry's Allied Health Database Project Lead at forecasting@healthforceontario.ca or the College at ksimpson@coptont.org. For further information you can also visit the Health Force Ontario website.

Health Force Ontario
The Health Professions Database:
Questions & Answers [PDF]

What's New!!!

Draft – Proposed College of Opticians Registration Regulation – Comments required by September 1, 2009

UPDATE: SUPREME COURT OF CANADA DECISION – BERGEZ MATTER
On June 11, 2009, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed both of Bruce Bergez's two applications to appeal a contempt ruling. As is customary, the Supreme Court gave no reasons for not allowing the appeals to go forward. By refusing to allow Bergez to appeal, the Supreme Court's announcement upholds a number of decisions that have been made against him by Ontario's lower courts. The two colleges (Optometrists and Opticians) will now advise Ontario's Ministry of the Attorney General that the government can begin taking action to force Bergez to begin repaying the staggering amounts in fines he now owes. The College of Opticians continues to take a number of Great Glasses franchisees to court, seeking contempt orders similar to the one faced by Bergez.

Online Public Register – Coming Soon

Important Health Notice
June 12, 2009 – MOH Pandemic Update [PDF]
June 11, 2009 – WHO Pandemic Update
May 7, 2009 [PDF]
May 5, 2009 [PDF]
May 2, 2009 [PDF]
April 29, 2009 [PDF]
Information for Health Professionals - UPDATE

Council Meeting
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Time: 9:30am – 4:30pm
Location: Victory Verbatim; Ernst & Young Tower; 222 Bay Street, Suite 900
Please note: Following the 9:30am start Council will likely go in-camera from 9:35-11:00am.

Legal Update – Decision Re: Bergez Appeal
– Jan 6 2009 [PDF]
The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal by Bruce Bergez and the other appellants (Joanne Bergez and their companies) from the Judgment of Justice Fedak. All of the arguments made were dismissed by the Court of Appeal, and the fine of $16 million was upheld.

Getting Your Professional Licence in Ontario:
The Experiences of International and Canadian Applicants Survey [PDF]
– Office of the Fairness Commissioner

Fair Registration Practices Report 2008 [PDF]
The Office of the Fairness Commissioner (OFC) has been established to ensure that registration practices are transparent, objective, impartial and fair. The OFC requires that regulatory bodies submit a registration practices report annually.

Addendum – Fair Registration Practices (2008) [PDF]

Proposed Amendments to Quality Assurance Regulation – Feedback Required By March 30, 2009

Draft – Amendments to the COO By-Law – Comments required by March 16, 2009

Election Results

Warning: Fashion Contact Lenses

COO Press Release

February 2009 Newsletter

Appointed Non-Council Member
Volunteer Position(s)

Refraction Package 2008

New Standard of Practice: Refraction

New Process for Liability Insurance

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