CCO President’s Message and Newsletter – March 3, 2026

President’s Message – March 3, 2026

As President of CCO, I am constantly inspired by the dedication and integrity that define chiropractic regulation in Ontario. Effective regulation is not an abstract concept. It is the result of a great team of people working together thoughtfully, diligently, and collaboratively to further the public interest. It takes focused preparation, respectful dialogue, and a willingness to make principled decisions, even when they are complex and may exact a personal toll.

Our Council and committee members devote countless hours to careful deliberation, sound decision-making and continuous improvement. It’s how we ensure good governance is at the core of everything we do. I want to thank outgoing Council member Dr. Colin Goudreau, whose professionalism and steady commitment have strengthened this organization and advanced our mandate to protect the public interest.

At the same time, I am pleased to warmly welcome new Council member Dr. Sarah Dale. You join a community deeply committed to transparency, accountability, and excellence.

I also want to recognize the tireless work of our staff. Behind every standard of practice, policy, guideline, process and implementation is a team dedicated to fairness, consistency, and service.

Our Quality Assurance efforts, and especially our flagship Peer and Practice Assessment program, remain foundational to safe, ethical, and professional chiropractic care in Ontario. By supporting continuous learning and reflective practice, these efforts reinforce public and member confidence in the profession, and ensure that regulation in Ontario remains firmly grounded in the public interest.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kyle Grice

President

Dr. Kyle Grice, President

Ms Jo-Ann Willson, Registrar and General Counsel

CCO Newsletter – March 3, 2026

CCO Elections Update

In accordance with CCO By-law 6: Election of Council Members, elections were to be held in Districts 5, 6 and 7 in Spring 2026. After the date for withdrawal (February 24, 2026) there were two acclamations and one contested District election. Congratulations to Dr. Sarah Dale, who was acclaimed in District 6: Western, and also to returning Council member Dr. Jarrod Goldin, who was acclaimed in District 7: Academic. There are two candidates presenting for District 5: Central West, Dr. Sarah Green, and Dr. Faisal Malik. Eligible members in District 5 will vote for one of these candidates for a three-year term. Further election information, candidate biographies and voting instructions will be distributed as per CCO’s Notice of Election. Please continue to visit CCO’s website for further election updates.

Seeking Non-Council Committee Members!

CCO’s ability to regulate chiropractic in the public interest is enhanced by having competent, qualified individuals serve on its committees. Committees are made up of elected members or public members on CCO Council, plus non-Council CCO members and other individuals. CCO has non-Council committee members positions available on the ICRC (1), Discipline (3), Patient Relations (2) and QA (1) Committees. The election and appointment of committee members takes place at the April meeting of CCO Council, currently scheduled for April 24, 2026.

Council has approved a list of core competencies for all Council and committee members and peer assessors. Note also that CCO by-laws also permit Council to appoint individuals who are not members of Council or CCO registrants, if the appointee has specialized knowledge, skills or expertise that would facilitate the work of a specific committee.

For more information on applying to be a non-Council committee member, please see the following link.

Focus on Mental Health at CCO

In late November 2025, CCO held a workshop for all Council and committee members titled Maintaining Mental Wellbeing While Navigating Complex Cases and Professional Decisions. The session was facilitated by Alex Boross-Harmer, MSW, RSW, R.Kin., interim Manager of Mental Health Promotion and Training at the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Toronto.

The session arose out of recognition that CCO committee members and peer assessors care deeply about their roles and strive to support members in doing great work. However, the work of the QA, ICRC and Discipline committees (to name a few) can sometimes involve navigating challenging or stressful circumstances and interpersonal interactions.

Workshop participants explored three interlinked support strategies for managing these encounters. The first, on the individual level, included personal self-care and coping tools for managing vicarious trauma, identifying personal triggers, feelings, needs, boundaries etc. The second, at the collective/team level, included considerations of psychological safety, clear direction, effective processes and limits that protect the team’s capacity, time, and focus. The third strategy, at the systemic level, included formal frameworks and established procedures and rules designed to guide interactions, ensure safety, and maintain a professional environment within the organization. The benefits of adopting the three-pronged strategic approach presented at the session, were well received by those who attended.

February 20, 2026 – CCO Council

In Memoriam: Shawn Southern

In early January, Council and staff were devastated to learn of the untimely passing of CCO public Council member, Mr. Shawn Southern. Shawn was a dedicated member of Council, first appointed as a public member in 2020 who went on to serve as the College’s Treasurer from 2023 – 2025. He also served on the Executive and Quality Assurance Committees of and Chair of the Discipline Committee during his appointment. Shawn brought a personable, infectious energy to his work on behalf of the College and could always be counted on to do so with a smile. Our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues here at CCO and to all who knew him.

Shawn Southern’s obituary can be found here

Mr. Shawn Southern, CCO Public Member

Committee Corner: Quality Assurance

Dr. Mike Gauthier, Chair, Quality Assurance Committee

Mr. Joel Friedman, Deputy Registrar

Dr. Katherine Tibor, Director of Professional Practice

Peer and Practice Assessment Update

The work of CCO’s committees is essential to meeting our statutory obligation to regulate chiropractic in the public interest. Here we highlight the Peer and Practice Assessment program of the Quality Assurance Committee, in the hope that it will be instructive for patients, stakeholders and members.

At certain points in their chiropractic career, members will receive a letter inviting them to participate in CCO’s Peer and Practice Assessment (PPA) Program. Overseen by CCO’s Quality Assurance Committee, the PPA Program comes in two versions. PPA 1.0 is intended for new members and is to be completed within their first few years of practice or registration. Those who have been in practice for five years or more are randomly selected to participate in PPA 2.0.

The PPA Program is proactive, non-punitive, and educational in nature (consistent with CCO’s values and strategic objectives). Members engage with an assigned peer assessor as they review their patient files and quality assurance activities. They also have an opportunity to discuss CCO’s standards of practice, policies, and guidelines while working through case scenarios. The program assists members with maintaining their record keeping skills, and allows them the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of CCO requirements. Members are then provided with positive feedback as appropriate, and any recommendations for improvement.

Members are encouraged to visit PPA 1.0 and PPA 2.0 for more information about the program, and to see the various documents used by the peer assessors during the assessment. This will assist members in preparing for the assessment, and help dispel any potential anxiety arising from the program.

Feedback relating to the PPA Program has been overwhelmingly positive. Members who participate in PPA 1.0 are happy to catch potential record keeping discrepancies early in their career. Those who participate in PPA 2.0 are pleased to know that they are keeping up with their obligations as self-regulated health professionals. Many members who complete their PPAs are inspired to become peer assessors themselves, based on their positive experience and desire to give back to the profession and serve the public interest.

Much of the program’s success is due to its amazing group of peer assessors. On January 31, 2026, peer assessors and members of the Quality Assurance Committee came together for the annual Peer Assessor Workshop. Assessors shared their feedback from the previous year, and their experience of the emerging trend of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in record keeping. Thank you to CCO’s peer assessors, who act as ambassadors for the College traveling throughout their districts, educating fellow members, and facilitating self-regulation in the public interest.

Regulatory Excellence Workshop Update

CCO has scheduled the next virtual Regulatory Excellence Workshop for May 29, 2026. Please visit the Workshops page of CCO’s website for further details and instructions on how to register. Please continue to visit this webpage for announcements on future workshops.

Attending a Regulatory Excellence Workshop will help ensure you are prepared for your next Peer and Practice Assessment, and provide an opportunity to accumulate structured Continuing Education (CE) hours and meet the requirements for CE.

January 31, 2026 – CCO Peer and Practice Assessor Training Day

Contents:

President’s Message – March 3, 2026

CCO Newsletter – March 3, 2026

Committee Corner: Quality Assurance