Members who continue to have an Active Practice Requirement (APR) shortfall are referred to the Registration Committee in accordance with the Registration Regulation.

Members will be asked to make written submissions to the Registration Committee within 30 days of receiving a notice of referral. The member’s written submission must include the following:

1. Reason for the shortfall and explanation of how they have been maintaining their knowledge and skills to practise safely in all birth settings
2. Where applicable, the member must demonstrate that extenuating circumstances exist (i.e. circumstances that are beyond the member’s control) that prevented the member from meeting their APR. For example:
   • Low home birth rate practice
   • Unplanned changes to birth location
   • Planned home births becoming transfers of care
3. Where applicable, an explanation of how the member’s practice environment/employment contributed to the shortfall and may continue to contribute to a shortfall. For example:
   • Hospitalist midwife
   • Expanded Midwifery Care Models and not providing intrapartum care
   • Birth Centre Clinical Director
   • MEP instructor
   • Other

A panel of the Registration Committee is appointed to review the APR shortfall referrals. A chair is appointed, and conflicts are vetted. A panel meets to make a decision using the risk assessment tool for active practice shortfalls. The panel considers all submissions and information and exercises their discretion to determine one of the following outcomes.

1. Exception granted (in extenuating circumstances under 12(1)1 of the Registration Regulation)
2. Shortfall plan required
3. Term, condition or limitation may be imposed if:
   • Member does not attend births as a primary care provider
   • Member only attends births in hospitals and other institutional settings
   • Member has to be a general registrant as part of their employment requirements (e.g. Birth Centre Clinical Director)

The outcome of the APR referral is communicated to the member in a written decision and reasons, including the next APR due date.

A panel of the Registration Committee may be required to determine a requalification program if the current clinical experience requirements of the Registration Regulation are not met. Generally this is at the time of class change from Inactive to General.

You can click here for more information on the class change process. 

The Registration Committee considers referrals from the Registrar of applications for registration that do not meet the requirements set out in the Registration Regulation. A panel of the Registration Committee can consider requests to approve terms, conditions, and limitations agreed to by the applicant and the Registrar, or may negotiate its own agreement with the applicant for terms, conditions, or limitations.

The Registrar shall refer an application for registration to the Registration Committee if the Registrar,

(a) has doubts, on reasonable grounds, about whether the applicant fulfils the registration requirements;

(a.1) is of the opinion that terms, conditions or limitations should be imposed on a certificate of registration of the applicant and the applicant is an individual described in subsection 22.18 (1);

(b) is of the opinion that terms, conditions or limitations should be imposed on a certificate of registration of the applicant and the applicant does not consent to the imposition; or

(c) proposes to refuse the application.

When an application is referred to the Registration Committee, the panel must consider the application and any submissions provided by the applicant. The panel then has power to make one of the following orders:

1. Directing the Registrar to issue a certificate of registration.
2. Directing the Registrar to issue a certificate of registration if the applicant successfully completes examinations set or approved by the panel.
3. Directing the Registrar to issue a certificate of registration if the applicant successfully completes additional training specified by the panel.
4. Directing the Registrar to impose specified terms, conditions, and limitations on a certificate of registration of the applicant and specifying a limitation on the applicant’s right to apply to vary those terms.
5. Directing the Registrar to refuse to issue a certificate of registration.

A panel cannot register an applicant who has not met a registration requirement, unless the requirement is non‐exemptible.

Appealing a Registration Committee Panel Decision

The Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (HPARB) is an independent adjudicative agency and an integral component of the self-regulating health profession system in Ontario. It is responsible for conducting complaint and registration reviews and hearings concerning the Registration, Accreditation and Inquiries, Complaints, and Reports Committee decisions of 28 self-regulated health professions in Ontario.

On request, HPARB conducts reviews and hearings of orders of the Registration Committees of the Colleges. You can read more HPARB’s  Registration-Information-Sheet here. HPARB also reviews decisions made by the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committees of the self-regulating health professions Colleges in Ontario. You can read more about that here.

Contact information for the Board:

Health Professions Appeal and Review Board
151 Bloor Street West, 9thFloor
Toronto ON M5S 2T5

Telephone: (416) 327-8512
Toll-Free: 1-866-282-2179

Facsimile: (416) 327-8524
Email: hparb@moh.gov.on.ca

HPARB Website

Registration Panel Meeting Schedule and Submission Deadlines
January  – December 2019