Disciplinary Hearings

A date will be set for a hearing of the complaint. The Notice of Hearing will set out the charges against the member and the steps the Professional Conduct Committee took to investigate the complaint. Discipline Hearings are open to the public.

Members of the Discipline Committee will be present and will be responsible for making a decision at the end of the hearing. The complainant (the person making the complaint) will have to go to the hearing and testify as to what happened. The respondent (the member against whom a complaint has been filed) will also have an opportunity to testify. Witnesses could be called to testify. Questions will be asked and presentations made by a lawyer for the College and a lawyer or other representative for the respondent. Once all the information is brought forward, the Discipline Committee must make a decision.

The Discipline Committee can decide:

• To dismiss the complaint;
• To issue a disciplinary letter or a letter of guidance to the member;
• To place terms or conditions on the licence of the member;
• To suspend the member from practice with or without conditions;
• To revoke the member’s licence.

The order of the Discipline Committee will be posted on the College website so it is publicly available. If an order is made that affects the respondent member’s licence and ability to practice, the order will be recorded in the member’s file and on the College’s register. Depending on the nature of the order, the respondent member’s licence may be amended to show the conditions or the licence may have to be surrendered to the College.

Can the decision be appealed?

The respondent can appeal the decision of the Discipline Committee. A notice of appeal must be provided to the Executive Director within 30 days of the order of the Discipline Committee. The College Council will hear the appeal.