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Who these remediation courses are for
Most information about college complaints is written for the person making one. These courses are written for the professional receiving one. They suit you if you hold, or want to restore, a licence with a Canadian health regulatory college or ordre and something has gone wrong, or someone believes it has.
- Notice of a complaint from your college asking for your written response.
- A registrar's or college-initiated investigation after a report from an employer, a colleague, a coroner or another body.
- A screening decision with advice, a caution or a SCERP, for example from an Ontario ICRC.
- An undertaking or a consent agreement that includes education, supervision or practice changes.
- A referral to a hearing, where your lawyer has suggested showing learning before the panel meets.
- An employer or hospital investigation that has not reached your college but may.
- A return to practice after a suspension or with terms, conditions or limitations on your licence.
None of this means you have been found at fault. Many complaints close with no action or with advice. Starting focused learning early shows you take the concern seriously and gives you something concrete to describe when you are asked what you have done since.
Start with the core remediation set
Whatever your profession, these courses sit at the centre of almost every response. Each profession page then adds that profession's ethics and professional standards courses.
- How to Deal with a Complaint or Investigation explains how college processes work, how to respond honestly and without defensiveness, and how to cooperate while protecting confidentiality.
- Module on Insight shows how colleges weigh insight and how to show genuine understanding rather than scripted regret.
- Module on Reflection gives you models such as Gibbs, Rolfe and Johns for writing a reflective statement colleges find credible.
- Module on Remediation turns the concern into a structured, evidence-based plan, whether voluntary, agreed in an undertaking or directed as a SCERP.
- Ensuring a Mistake or Misconduct Is Not Repeated focuses on safeguards and on evidencing that the change has held.
- Rebuilding Trust of Patients, Public, and Healthcare Regulator covers apology, transparency and restoring confidence.
If you are unsure where to begin, take the complaint course and the insight course first. Fitness to Practise for Healthcare Professionals is a useful companion if you want to understand what colleges are assessing across competence, conduct, ethics and health.
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Remediation courses by profession
Every college works within its province's statute, but each profession has its own codes, risk areas and committee names. The profession pages map the courses to the right standards and suggest a set for each type of concern.
- Doctors: medical regulatory colleges such as CPSO, CPSBC, CPSA and the Collège des médecins du Québec; CMPA assistance.
- Nurses and midwives: CNO, BCCNM, CRNA, OIIQ and midwifery colleges; CNPS or union support.
- Dentists: RCDSO, BC College of Oral Health Professionals, CDSA and the Ordre des dentistes du Québec.
- Pharmacists: Ontario College of Pharmacists, College of Pharmacists of BC, Alberta College of Pharmacy and the OPQ.
- Optometrists and opticians: provincial optometry and opticianry colleges.
- Chiropractors: provincial chiropractic colleges.
- Osteopathic practitioners: complaints through voluntary associations, insurers or the courts, as there is no statutory regulator for osteopathic manual practitioners.
Physiotherapists, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, dietitians and other regulated professionals can use the core set with the two courses written for regulated health and care professionals.
Or choose by the concern raised
Committees look at the substance of a concern, not the label on the complaint. Find the group that best matches what was raised and take the suggested courses alongside the core set.
| Concern group | Typical examples | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| Ethics and consent | Consent not properly obtained, capacity not assessed, harm not disclosed | Your profession's ethics course, consent and chaperones, duty of candour |
| Professionalism, communication and attitude | Rudeness, dismissive communication, conflict with colleagues, online posts | Your profession's standards course, communication, teamwork, social media |
| Probity and financial integrity | Inaccurate records or forms, billing concerns, failure to self-report | Probity, financial integrity, documentation |
| Boundaries | Personal or sexual relationships, gifts, dual relationships, contact on social media | Ethical boundaries, consent and chaperones, social media |
| Clinical care, prescribing and records | Missed deterioration, medication or dispensing errors, poor notes, working outside scope | Clinical competence, prescribing, documentation |
| Privacy | Snooping in records, disclosure without consent, lost devices, discussing patients online | Confidentiality, social media, documentation |
Concerns often overlap. A medication error that was later recorded inaccurately sits in both the clinical group and the probity group, and a response that deals with only one half can look incomplete.
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How a concern moves through a Canadian college
Each province has its own statute and names, but the shape is similar everywhere.
- Intake and notice. The college receives a complaint or report and tells you what is alleged. You are invited to respond in writing.
- Investigation. The college gathers records and statements and may obtain expert opinion or a practice assessment.
- Screening decision. A committee, or in Alberta the complaints director, decides the outcome: no action, advice, a caution, a remediation requirement, an agreement or undertaking, or referral to a hearing. In Quebec, the syndic decides whether to file a complaint before the disciplinary council.
- Hearing. The most serious matters reach a discipline or hearing panel, which can make findings and impose sanctions up to revocation.
- Review and appeal. Routes depend on the province, for example HPARB review of Ontario complaint decisions, or appeals from hearing decisions to a court or, in Quebec, the Tribunal des professions.
For province-by-province detail, including Ontario's ICRC and SCERPs, BC's new independent discipline tribunal and self-reporting duties, read our guide to college complaints in Canada.
Your province at a glance
The words in your college's letter depend on your province. Use this table to place yourself, then open your profession page for the college that regulates you.
| Province or territory | Main statute | First-stage screening | Examples of colleges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 and Health Professions Procedural Code, plus an Act for each profession | Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC); outcomes include advice, a caution, a SCERP or an undertaking; HPARB reviews complaint decisions | CPSO, CNO, RCDSO, Ontario College of Pharmacists |
| British Columbia | Health Professions and Occupations Act, in force 1 April 2026 | The college investigates; serious matters go to independent discipline panels | CPSBC, BC College of Nurses and Midwives, BC College of Oral Health Professionals, College of Pharmacists of BC, College of Health and Care Professionals of BC, College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC |
| Alberta | Health Professions Act | The college's complaints director; serious matters go to a hearing tribunal | CPSA, College of Registered Nurses of Alberta, College of LPNs and HCAs of Alberta, Alberta College of Pharmacy |
| Quebec | Professional Code, plus an Act for each profession | The ordre's syndic, who may file a complaint before the disciplinary council | Collège des médecins du Québec, OIIQ, Ordre des dentistes du Québec, OPQ |
| Saskatchewan | A separate statute for each profession, for example The Medical Profession Act, 1981 | The college's own complaints and discipline process | College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan, College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy Professionals |
| Manitoba | The Regulated Health Professions Act for physicians and registered nurses, among others; profession-specific Acts for the rest | The college's own complaints and investigation process | College of Physicians & Surgeons of Manitoba, College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba, College of Pharmacists of Manitoba |
| Nova Scotia | Regulated Health Professions Act (2023), applied as each regulator migrates | The regulator's own process under its current legislation | College of Physicians & Surgeons of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Nursing and Midwifery Regulator, Nova Scotia Pharmacy Regulator |
| New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador | Provincial statutes for each profession or group of professions | The college's own complaints process | The College of Physicians and Surgeons of each province; Nurses Association of New Brunswick; College of Registered Nurses and Midwives of PEI; College of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador |
| Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut | Territorial legislation | Often a territorial registrar or council | Yukon Medical Council; Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut |
How to choose your courses: five questions
- What exactly was raised? Use the words in the college's letter, not your own summary, and match each allegation to a concern group.
- Which standard will you be measured against? Your college's code of ethics, practice standards and any specific policy, such as one on boundaries, documentation or prescribing.
- What does your adviser recommend? The CMPA, CNPS, your union, insurer or lawyer may suggest specific learning, or suggest waiting until after your first response. Follow their advice on timing.
- Is a requirement already in place? If a SCERP, an undertaking or an order specifies education, the college decides what satisfies it. Ask before you enrol.
- How much is enough? Two to four targeted courses that match the concern, with a reflection that links them to your practice, usually read better than a long list of unrelated certificates.
What committees tend to look for
Screening committees and panels exist to protect the public, and some colleges describe remediation as their main focus at the screening stage. Colleges such as the CRTO say they weigh how serious the concern is, whether it is a first occurrence and whether the allegations can be proven. Within that, the same themes come up again and again:
- Understanding: do you see what went wrong and why it mattered to the patient?
- Ownership: do you accept your part without minimizing it or shifting blame to the system or the patient?
- Remediation: what have you actually done, and can someone else verify it?
- Risk of repetition: what has changed in your practice, systems or supports?
- Candour and cooperation: were you honest with the patient, your employer and the college from the start?
- Records: are your notes accurate, contemporaneous and unaltered?
Remediation step by step: choosing, reflecting and presenting evidence
Whether your matter sits with an Ontario ICRC panel, an Alberta complaints director, a BC college investigation, a Quebec syndic or a college committee in another province, the people deciding it ask the same practical question: has this practitioner understood the concern and done enough, in a way someone else can check, to make a repeat unlikely? Remediation is how you answer it. This is what that usually means in practice.
What decision-makers typically look for
- Learning that matches the concern, not a general CPD list: the topic in the letter, the standard that applies and the risk it created.
- Insight in your own words: what happened, why it mattered to the patient, and your part in it, without minimizing or blaming others.
- A change in practice that is specific, dated and still in place, rather than an intention.
- Verification: certificates, audits, procedures and feedback from someone who has seen you work since.
- Honesty and timing: learning described accurately, completed before you rely on it, and a response sent on time.
Choosing courses for the concern
Copy each allegation from the letter into a list. Beside each one, note the standard it engages and the course that addresses it, using the concern table on this page. Add the core set: the complaint course and the insight course first, then reflection and remediation. Two to four targeted courses plus the core set usually tell a clearer story than a long list of unrelated certificates. If an undertaking, a SCERP or an order already names the education required, follow its terms and ask the college before you add anything to it.
Writing your reflective account
Each course ends with a guided reflective account that is printed on your certificate. A credible reflection usually covers, in this order:
- What happened, in factual terms and without patient identifiers.
- The standard that applied, named from your own college's code or practice standard.
- The impact on the patient, the team and trust in the profession.
- Your part, stated plainly, with system factors explained but not used as an excuse.
- What you learned from this course, in specifics rather than general statements.
- What you now do differently, since when, and how someone could confirm it.
Presenting your evidence
| Item | What it shows | Practical tip |
|---|---|---|
| Short covering summary | How each item answers each concern | One page, one line per allegation, written with your protective association, union, insurer or lawyer |
| Certificates of completion | That defined learning took place and was assessed | Keep the dates; show learning completed after the events, not promised |
| Reflective accounts | Insight and the link to your practice | Revise before submitting; a reflection written in the first days can read as defensive |
| Practice evidence | That the change is real and has lasted | For example an audit of your own records, a revised procedure or checklist, a competency sign-off, and feedback from a supervisor, mentor or colleague who has seen you work since |
| An index | That the file is complete and easy to follow | Number each item and keep copies of everything you send |
No college, ordre, committee or tribunal has approved or accredited our courses, and we do not say that any of them accepts our certificates. A course cannot guarantee an outcome. Whether learning is relevant or satisfies a requirement is for the decision-maker, so discuss timing and content with your protective association, union, insurer or lawyer before you submit anything.
How online study works
- Instant access after purchase, on any device, so you can start the same day.
- Self-paced sections with Canadian case studies and short reflective checks.
- 2 hours (estimated) per course, CA$95 each.
- A guided reflective account that is saved on your device and printed on your certificate.
- A 10-question final assessment with an 80% pass mark (8 out of 10), with retakes.
- A certificate of completion showing the course title and estimated learning time.
- Private study. We do not contact your college or employer. You decide who sees your certificate.
Looking after yourself during a process
Being the subject of a complaint is stressful, and investigations can take months. You do not have to manage it alone.
- In a crisis, call or text 9-8-8 any time to reach the Suicide Crisis Helpline (988.ca).
- Your own family doctor or nurse practitioner, especially if sleep, mood or concentration are affected.
- Your provincial health program for professionals or your employer's assistance program, where one is available.
- The CMPA, CNPS, your union, insurer or a lawyer for advice about the process itself.
- A trusted colleague or mentor to talk through clinical issues, without discussing identifiable patient details or the complaint's specifics beyond what your adviser approves.
Ready to start?
Choose your profession page for a tailored set, or browse the full catalogue of Canadian courses.
Questions
What is a remediation course?
It is focused learning taken after a concern about your practice or conduct. The aim is to understand the standard involved, show what you have learned and reduce the chance of the same thing happening again. In Canada, remediation can be voluntary, agreed in an undertaking, or required by a committee, for example as a SCERP in Ontario.
What is a SCERP?
A specified continuing education or remediation program. Under Ontario's Health Professions Procedural Code, an ICRC can require you to complete one, for example courses on documentation or ethics, sometimes with mentoring or a reassessment. A SCERP is noted on the college's public register. The college decides which programs satisfy it.
Can I start a course before the college decides anything?
Yes. Many professionals start once they understand the concern, because it shows they are taking it seriously. Your adviser may suggest a particular timing, for example after your first written response. Choose courses that match the actual concern rather than general learning.
Will a course change the outcome of my complaint?
No course can promise an outcome. Committees decide on the facts, the risk to the public and the whole of your response. Relevant learning with honest reflection is one piece of evidence they may consider.
Will my college accept your certificate for a SCERP or an undertaking?
Only if the college agrees. Where a SCERP or undertaking names a specific program or provider, you must use that one. If it leaves the choice open, ask the college or your monitor to confirm that our course is acceptable before you enrol.
Which professions do these courses cover?
We have dedicated pages for doctors, nurses and midwives, dentists, pharmacists, optometrists and opticians, chiropractors and osteopathic practitioners. The core set and the courses for regulated health and care professionals suit physiotherapists, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, dietitians and other regulated professions.
Should I talk to the CMPA or CNPS first?
Yes, if you are eligible. The CMPA asks physicians to contact it early, before responding to the college, not to alter records and not to contact the complainant. Depending on your province and coverage, nurses may get help with regulatory complaints from the CNPS or their union.
How many courses should I take?
Usually two to four: the complaint and insight courses plus one or two matching the concern. Depth and reflection matter more than the number of certificates.
Do I have to tell my college that I am taking a course?
No. Study is private and we do not contact anyone. You decide whether to include the certificate and reflective account in your response, usually on your adviser's advice.
What does the reflective account involve?
Each course asks you to answer a few guided questions about what happened or could happen, what you learned and what you will change. Your answers are saved on your device and printed on your certificate. In a live matter, write it with your adviser's guidance and avoid identifying patients.
What is the difference between a caution and discipline?
In Ontario, a caution from the ICRC is a remedial outcome, not a finding of professional misconduct, although it is noted on the public register. Discipline follows a hearing before a panel that can make findings and impose penalties such as a reprimand, suspension, conditions or revocation.
Is remediation different in Quebec?
The process is. Under the Professional Code, each ordre's syndic investigates and decides whether to file a complaint before the disciplinary council, and ordres can also impose refresher training through their own processes. The courses are in English and cover the same core skills of insight, reflection and planning.
How long does each course take?
Each course is 2 hours (estimated) of learning, with a 10-question assessment at the end. Most people complete one in a single sitting or across two.
What does it cost?
CA$95 per course, including the assessment, retakes and the certificate of completion.
Official sources
Checked October 2026. Rules and processes change, so confirm the current position with the official source. This page is general information, not legal advice.
- Government of Ontario e-Laws: Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (Schedule 2, Health Professions Procedural Code)
- College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario: How are decisions about complaints made?
- College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario: Information for registrants about complaints
- College of Dietitians of Ontario: Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee
- College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC: Health Professions and Occupations Act
- College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta: What is the role of the complaints director?
- Ordre des psychologues du Québec: What is the Disciplinary Council?
- Canadian Medical Protective Association: College complaint information package
- Nurses Association of New Brunswick: Canadian Nurses Protective Society coverage
- 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline
- BC Health Regulators: Regulatory reform and the Health Professions and Occupations Act
- Government of Saskatchewan: Health regulators
- Manitoba Fair Registration Practices Office: Regulator contact list (June 2026)
- Government of Nova Scotia: Health profession regulators
- Government of Nova Scotia: Regulated Health Professions Act overview
- College of LPNs and HCAs of Alberta: The CLPNA is becoming the CLHA
How these courses are built
Official sources only
Every legal and regulatory point comes from primary sources: provincial and territorial health professions statutes, the regulatory colleges' standards and codes, and federal and provincial privacy law. Anything we cannot confirm is left out.
Original, edition by edition
Lessons, scenarios and assessment questions are written by us for each edition separately, then checked for accuracy, teaching quality and fair assessment before publication.
Reviewed when rules change
When a code, standard or law changes, the affected courses are reviewed and updated. Reported errors in legal or regulatory facts are corrected first.