On April 1, 2026, the Health Professions Act (HPA) was repealed and replaced by the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA). On the same day, updated regulations for health professions to align them with the HPOA also came into effect.

How health professions are regulated in BC

The Ministry of Health establishes the framework for the regulation of health professions in two ways:

• Enacting the legislation that governs professional regulation (the Health Professions and Occupations Act), and
• Establishing health profession regulations, which set the scopes of practice and the limits and conditions for practice.

Regulatory colleges are responsible for upholding the legislation and regulations, and for establishing bylaws, standards, and limits and conditions that guide and direct health professionals’ practice.

For more information about the HPOA, please refer to the legislation online and find additional background on the Ministry of Health’s Professional Regulation webpage, as well as a webpage specific to the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA).