Filing a Complaint
Complaints may be filed in writing or recorded. Letters of complaint must be signed and can be submitted by mail, fax or email attachment to:
Manager, Inquiries, Complaints and Reports
59 Hayden Street, Suite 800
Toronto, ON M4Y 0E7
Phone: 416 922-6355
Toll Free: 1-877-577-4772
Fax: 416 925-9610
Email: tperryman@cco.on.ca
Complaints should include:
- Your name, contact information (mailing address, email address and phone number)
- The name of the chiropractor
- As much detail as possible about your concerns or the incident(s) in question, such as dates, and the names of individuals who may have been involved, or who would be able to provide additional information.
The Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Process

- Inquiry, Complaint or Report made
- Investigation conducted
- ICRC reviews information including member’s response
- ICRC decision released – no action, recommendation, oral caution, Specified Continuing Education or Remediation Program (SCERP) or referral to discipline; approximately 3 – 4 months from conclusion of investigation. SCERP or referral to discipline posted on website
- ICRC decisions potentially reviewed by HPARB
Appointment of Investigators
CCO may appoint investigators to carry out investigations on behalf of the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee.
An investigator has the power to:
- Inquire into and examine the practice of the member to be investigated
- Enter the business premises of the member at any reasonable time and examine anything found there that is relevant to the investigation
- Access records of personal health information relevant to the investigation
Review by the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee
It is the responsibility of the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC), which consists of chiropractors and appointed public members, to ensure that a fair and thorough investigation is conducted and that an appropriate decision is made based on the results of the investigation.
The ICRC has developed a number of tools to assist with its decision-making processes:
- Risk Assessment Framework Statement
- Risk Assessment Framework
- Risk Assessment Framework Tool
- Interim Order Assessment Tool
- Transparency Principles
Dispositions from the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports
The ICRC issues its decision in writing and may take any of the following actions:

- Refer specified allegations of professional misconduct or incompetence to the Discipline Committee for a hearing
- Initiate an inquiry into the member’s capacity
- Require the member to appear before the ICRC to be cautioned
- Require the member to undergo a specified continuing education or remediation program
- Require the member to sign an undertaking
- Issue a reminder/advice to the member
- Take any other action it considers appropriate that is consistent with the RHPA, CCO regulations or by-laws.
In accordance with the RHPA, if the ICRC requires the member to appear before a panel of the ICRC to be cautioned, or requires the member to undergo continuing education or remediation or sign an undertaking, this information will be put on the public register.
Review and Appeal Process
The complaints process is subject to external review if there has been no referral to the Discipline Committee or the Fitness to Practise Committee. Both the complainant and the chiropractor have the right to request a review of the ICRC decision This review is conducted by an external body called the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (HPARB). HPARB is a body of public appointees who are not health care professionals.
Request for a review must be made within 30 days of receiving the ICRC decision and the review process takes 12 to 18 months. HPARB may:
- Confirm all or part of the decision
- Make appropriate recommendations to the ICRC
- Require the ICRC to do anything the Committee or a panel may do under the RHPA or the Code, except to request the Registrar to conduct an investigation