Québec has 46 professional orders. Their main role is to ensure that, in the field under their jurisdiction, professionals deliver the best services possible to the public. To fulfill the mandate entrusted it under law, each professional order possesses the powers required to ensure the protection of the public and the quality of the professional services.
As the principal mission of professional orders is to ensure the protection of the public, they must:
- monitor their members’ competence and integrity;
- supervise the practice of the profession;
- regulate the practice of the profession.
The members of professional orders are the only persons authorized to use certain titles or abbreviations attesting to their membership in an order.
There are two types of professions:
- exclusive professions
- professions with reserved titles
Exclusive professions
Only the members of recognized orders can use the title and practise the activities reserved for them by law.
Professions with reserved titles
Although the members of such orders do not have an exclusive right to practise the professional activities in question, the use of the title is limited to them only.
If a person does not hold a valid permit and is not registered on the roll of the professional order concerned, that person cannot
- use a professional title or an abbreviation suggesting that he or she is a member of a professional order;
- use initials to that effect.
Monitor their members’ competence and integrity
Before applicants are admitted to the practice of a profession, the professional order ensures that they possess the training, competence and qualities required. In addition, the order organizes refresher activities to ensure that the members maintain their competence.
Additionally, the professional order monitors the integrity and conduct of its members, in particular by laying down a code of ethics and having it applied, if needed, by the syndic (see the definitions) and the disciplinary council (see the definitions).
Supervise the practice of the profession
The professional order also supervises the professional practice of its members, in particular by means of a professional inspection committee (see the definitions). This committee principally verifies the quality of the services. It may also recommend that an order’s board of directors (see the definitions) require a member to complete refresher training or a refresher course, or limit or restrict the member’s right to practise.
Regulate the practice of the profession
The professional order, in compliance with the Professional Code and legislation governing professionals , makes and applies various regulations principally intended to regulate the practice of the profession in order to protect the public.
Inquiry and professional discipline
For the purpose of inquiries and professional discipline, the professional order designates a syndic in charge of receiving complaints from the public and bringing them, if applicable, before a disciplinary council responsible for prescribing penalties for breaches in the professional regulations or the Professional Code.
Denunciation
A person who leads others to believe that he or she is a professional without being one should be denounced to the professional order concerned. The order may institute court proceedings for
- identity fraud;
- unlawful practise of a profession.
Annual activity report
Each professional order is required to file an annual report of its activities.
Change of address
Professionals must inform their order of a change of address so that their files can be kept up to date.
Professions governed by a professional order
The following professions are governed by a professional order:
- acupuncturists
- agronomist
- architects
- bailiffs
- certified human resources and industrial relations consultants
- certified translators, terminologists and interpreters
- chartered administrators
- chartered appraisers
- chartered professional accountants
- chemists
- chiropractors
- criminologists
- dental hygienists
- dental technicians
- dentists
- denturologists
- dieticians
- dispensing opticians
- doctors of veterinary medicine
- engineers
- forest engineers
- geologists
- guidance counsellors
- hearing-aid acousticians
- land surveyors
- lawyers
- medical technologists
- medical imaging, radiation oncology and medical electrophysiology technologists
- midwives
- notaries
- nurses
- nursing assistants
- occupational therapists
- optometrists
- pharmacists
- physicians
- physiotherapists
- podiatrists
- professional technologists
- psychoeducators
- psychologists
- respiratory therapists
- sexologists
- social workers, and marital and family therapists
- speech therapists and audiologists
- town planners
Board of directors The board of directors is responsible for the general administration of the affairs of the
Office des professions. It may delegate certain duties to an administrative committee that will see to the day-to-day administration of the Office’s affairs.
Disciplinary council The disciplinary council is a tribunal that receives evidence from the parties, hears witnesses at public hearings, decides on the professional’s conviction and, if applicable, imposes a penalty.
Professional inspection committee This committee principally verifies the quality of the services or the professional competence of a member. It may recommend that the Bureau require a member to complete refresher training or a refresher course and that his or her right to engage in professional activities be limited or restricted until the member has met that requirement.
Syndic The syndic is responsible for conducting inquiries into professionals and, if applicable, lodging a complaint with the disciplinary council of the order. In this last case, the syndic acts as plaintiff against the professional in question.
A syndic may, at any time before the complaint is lodged, propose conciliation to the person who requested the inquiry and the professional.
A syndic sees to the conciliation of fees in the case of recourse related to accounts and will attempt to get the two parties to reach an agreement.
Professional Code, CQLR, chapter C-26
The professional laws and regulations are available in the Publications du Québec website.
