Committee Roles & Membership

Committee Role:
The Accreditation Committee, typically working in panels, considers matters relating to the operation of pharmacies in Ontario including new applications and renewals of certificates of accreditation as well as operational issues noted during the pharmacy operations assessment process.

Issuances and Renewals of Certificates of Accreditation
The Accreditation Committee reviews all issuance and renewal applications for pharmacy certificates of accreditation that the Registrar proposes to refuse and directs the Registrar to either issue/renew, refuse, or impose terms, conditions, or limitations on the certificate of accreditation.

Operational Assessments
The Accreditation Committee also considers operational assessment results of pharmacies referred by the operations advisor due to potential public safety concerns. When reviewing assessment results, the committee may choose one of the following outcomes:

• Conclude
  This occurs when the committee is of the view that the pharmacy has appropriately addressed the operational issues identified.
• Re-assessment
  The committee will direct staff to conduct a re-assessment when they are not assured that the operational issues identified have been addressed. College by-laws require that pharmacies pay a fee for most re-assessments required by the Accreditation Committee. Results of the re-assessment are returned to the committee for further review.
• Undertaking
  In certain circumstances, the Committee may request that a Designated Manager and/or Director Liaison enter an undertaking with the College on behalf of the pharmacy and the corporation that owns the pharmacy. An undertaking is a promise by a registrant to the College to do certain things or refrain from doing certain things.
• Referral to the Discipline Committee
  Where the Accreditation Committee has reason to believe that a pharmacy or its operation fails to conform to the requirements of the Drug and Pharmacies Regulation Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.4 (DPRA) and the regulations or to any term, condition or limitation to which its certificate of accreditation is subject, or that an act of proprietary misconduct has been committed, the committee may refer the person who has been issued a certificate of accreditation, the Designated Manager of the pharmacy, or the director(s) of a corporation which has been issued a certificate of accreditation to the Discipline Committee.

Interim Order
The Accreditation Committee also has the authority to impose an interim order directing the Registrar to suspend, or to impose terms, conditions, or limitations on a certificate of accreditation, if it is of the opinion that the conduct or operation of a pharmacy is likely to expose a patient, or a member of the public, to harm or injury.

Public Directors:

• Elnora Magboo
• Stephen Molnar

Professional Committee Appointees:

• Adnan Bodalbhai
• H – Lori Chen
• Agatha Dwilewicz
• Nadia Filippetto
• Frank Hack (Chair)
• Wassim Houneini
• Chintan Patel
• Tracy Wiersema
• Veronica Sales

Staff Resource: Katryna Spadafore

Staff Admin: Liisa Nasu

Committee Role:
Panels of the Discipline Committee hear allegations of professional misconduct or incompetence against registrants, as well as allegations of proprietary misconduct in relation to the operation of a pharmacy. Most matters are resolved by way of an uncontested hearing in which the registrant admits to the allegations and the supporting facts, and the registrant and College make joint submissions as to the appropriate sanction.

If there is a contested hearing the College is required to prove its case by presenting evidence to the panel, following which the panel decides in relation to each allegation. If the panel makes a finding or findings of professional misconduct or incompetence against a registrant, the panel may make an order to:

• Revoke or suspend registrant’s Certificate of Registration or the corporation’s Certificate of Accreditation.
• Impose terms, conditions, or limitations on the registrant’s Certificate of Registration or the corporation’s Certificate of Accreditation.
• Order payment of a fine.
• Order payment of all or part of the College’s costs and expenses respecting the investigation and the hearing.
• Order reimbursement of funds paid by the College for therapy and counselling in sexual abuse matters; and/or
• Reprimand the registrant.

Information about any current allegations or previous findings of professional or proprietary misconduct or incompetence relating to a registrant are outlined on the College’s Public Register, including any terms, conditions, or limitations imposed on a registrant’s Certificate of Registration. Hearings are open to the public and information can be found on the College’s website.

Elected Directors (all):

• HT – Jennifer Antunes
• T – Simran Bal
• Simon Boulis
• Doug Brown
• Akil Dhirani
• Scott Ford
• Siva Sivapalan
• Wilf Steer
• Victor Wong

Public Directors:

• Jae-Yon Jung
• Adrienne Katz
• James Killingsworth
• Francis Michaud
• Danny Paquette
• Cindy Wagg
• Devinder Walia

Professional Committee Appointees:

• Chris Aljawhiri (Chair)
• Ramy Banoub
• Dina Dichek
• Andrea Fernandes
• 
Negeen Foroughian
• 
Jillian Grocholsky
• Chris Leung
• Beth Li
• 
T – Cory McGill
• Megan Peck
• Karen Riley
• 
Zahra Sadikali
• 
Jeannette Schindler
• Connie Sellors
• Laura Weyland
• David Windross

Lay Committee Appointees:

• Kathy Al-Zand
• Jennifer Da Ponte
• Rebecca Forte
• Christine Henderson
• Kim Lee
• Sylvia Moustacalis
• Ravil Veli

Staff Resource: Genevieve Plummer

Staff Admin: Javeria Anjum

Committee Role:
The Executive Committee exercises all the powers and duties of the Board between Board meetings that require urgent attention and reports its activities, decisions, and recommendations through the Chair at each meeting of the Board. It reviews and recommends to the Board changes to applicable statutes, regulations, by-laws, College policies and standards of practice and ensures the policies of the Board are carried out. The Committee also fulfills specific financial, and compensation related duties set out in the by-laws.

The Executive Committee is comprised of the Chair and the Vice-Chair, and three (3) additional Directors, such that at least two (2) Directors are Elected Directors and at least two (2) Directors are Public Directors. The Committee is resourced by the CEO and Registrar.

Elected Directors:

• Doug Brown (Chair)
• Siva Sivapalan (Vice-Chair)
• Victor Wong

Public Directors:

• Adrienne Katz
• Cindy Wagg

Staff Resource: Susan James

Staff Admin: Stephenie Summerhillmerhill

Committee Role:
After conducting inquiries into a registrant’s health, the Inquiries Complaints and Reports Committee can refer the matter to the Fitness to Practise Committee for incapacity proceedings.

Most proceedings before the Fitness to Practise Committee result in a voluntary admission by the registrant of incapacity, which is supported by a medical opinion. In many instances of voluntary admissions, the registrant has enrolled in a monitoring contract with the Ontario Pharmacy Health Program (OPHP) offered through Lifemark Health Group. The OPHP provides case management and monitoring services for registrants of the College. The primary objective is to ensure that registrants receive appropriate treatment and monitoring and remain in stable recovery thereby allowing them to practise safely when they return to a practice environment. The OPHP is available to all College registrants, and can be accessed anonymously by a registrant, or can be facilitated by the College via the incapacity process.

In cases where a registrant is enrolled in a monitoring program, the registrant’s case is still reviewed by the Committee, but the College and the registrant may seek to waive the notice and procedural requirements set out in the applicable legislation, which require that a hearing into the registrant’s capacity be convened before the Committee. Instead, the registrant may enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with the College (“MOA”) agreeing she or he is incapacitated and the resulting terms, conditions or limitations to be placed on the registrant’s Certificate of Registration. Through the MOA, both parties authorize a Panel of the Committee to issue a Consent Order finding the registrant to be incapacitated without a formal hearing.

In instances where the College and the registrant do not reach an agreement regarding the issue of incapacity and/or the appropriate order to be made, the Fitness to Practise Committee may hold a hearing to determine whether a registrant is incapacitated, and if so whether terms, conditions or limitations should be placed on the registrant’s Certificate of Registration, or whether the registrant’s Certificate of Registration should be suspended or revoked.

When an incapacity matter is referred to the Fitness to Practise Committee, the fact of the referral is available to the public through the Public Register. At the end of the Fitness to Practise process, only the information necessary to protect the public is available through the Public Register. Unlike disciplinary proceedings, incapacity proceedings are not public.

Public Directors:

• Jae-Yon Jung
• Danny Paquette

Professional Committee Appointees:

• Adrian Bumstead
• T – Lynn Covert
• Dina Dichek
• Andrea Fernandes
• Megan Peck
• Colette Raphael
• Karen Riley
• Zahra Sadikali
• Jeannette Schindler (Chair)

Lay Committee Appointee:

• Kathy Al-Zand

Staff Resource: Genevieve Plummer

Staff Admin: Javeria Anjumm

Committee Role:
The Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) is a screening committee that oversees all investigations into a registrant’s conduct, competence, and/or capacity. Meeting in panels, the committee reviews all complaint investigations, Registrar’s investigations, and health inquiries. Panels consider the facts of each case, review submissions from the registrant and complainant (if applicable), and consider relevant records and documents related to the case to determine an outcome. Depending on the nature of the investigation, a panel of the ICRC can choose one or more of the following outcomes:

• Take no action. This occurs when the ICRC is of the view that the registrant’s conduct and/or actions comply with the standards of practice of the profession and other relevant laws and regulations. This can also be the outcome if there is insufficient information for the ICRC to act.
• Issue Advice/Recommendation to the registrant The ICRC can provide written advice and/or recommendations to the registrants if they are of the view that the registrant would benefit from having a particular policy or standard of practice highlighted.
• Require the registrant to complete a Specified Continuing Education or Remediation Program (SCERP). The ICRC can require a registrant to take specified remedial courses to address practice concerns. Remediation required by the ICRC is tailored to address concerns about the registrant’s practice.
• Issue a caution to the registrant. Registrants may be required to appear before a panel of the ICRC to receive a caution where the committee would like an opportunity to have a “face to face” discussion with the registrant about the concerns relating to their practice and to hear from them about the changes they will make to avoid a similar incident from occurring in the future.
• Accept an Undertaking. The ICRC can decide to take no action on the basis that the registrant has promised (or undertaken) to do certain things (e.g. resign their certificate of registration) with the understanding that if they do not do so, the Registrar can initiate a fresh investigation.
• Refer the registrant to another panel of the ICRC for health inquiries. Where the investigation reveals that the registrant’s conduct may be caused by an illness (e.g. substance use disorder), the panel may refer the matter to another panel of the ICRC to conduct health inquiries.
• Refer the registrant and specified allegations of professional misconduct or incompetence to the Discipline Committee. A small fraction of investigations that are reviewed by the ICRC are referred to the Discipline Committee (approx. 5-10%). These investigations usually involve serious matters where the panel is of the view that the registrant may have been dishonest, in breach of trust, appears to show a willful disregard of professional values, and/or appears to be unable to practice professionally or competently.
• Take other action consistent with the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), 1991. The ICRC can take other action it considers appropriate as long as it is consistent with the RHPA.

If a registrant is required to complete a SCERP or appear before a panel of the ICRC to be cautioned; or if specified allegations of professional misconduct or incompetence are referred to the Discipline Committee for a hearing, information regarding these outcomes will be posted on the College’s public register.

Interim Order
The ICRC also has the authority to impose an interim order directing the Registrar to suspend, or to impose terms, conditions, or limitations on a registrant’s certificate of registration if it is of the opinion that the conduct of the registrant exposes or is likely to expose the registrant’s patients to harm or injury. Interim orders are also noted on the public register.

Public Directors:

• Jae-Yon Jung
• Adrienne Katz
• James Killingsworth
• Elnora Magboo
• Francis Michaud
• Stephen Molnar
• Danny Paquette
• Devinder Walia
• Cindy Wagg

Professional Committee Appointees:

• Ghazal Adnan
• Elaine Akers
• Derek Antwi
• Jaltarang Bhimani
• 
T – Tanisha Campbell
• Vickie Chang
• Ashley Cunningham
• Nneka Ezurike
• Sajjad Giby
• Heba BaniHani
• 
H -Michael Heffer
• 
H- Wassim Houneini
• H – Aline Huynh
• Khaleda Noor Kabir
• Ankit Kansara
• Tom Kontio
• Elizabeth Kozyra
• 
HT – Kim Lamont
• Chris Leung
• Lenda Mettry
• 
Janet Leung
• 
Dean Miller
• Alei Eldeen Mohamed
• 
James Morrison
• Chintan Patel (Chair)
• Saheed Rashid
• Fatema Salem
• HT – Veronica Sales
• Kaivan Shah
• Ian Stewart
• Frank Tee
• Tirath Thakkar
• Tracy Wiersema
• Lisa-Kaye Williams
• Ali Zohouri

Staff Resource: Katryna Spadafore

Staff Admin: Liisa Nasu

Committee Role:
The Patient Relations Committee advises the Board with respect to the Patient Relations Program defined as “a program to enhance relations between members (registrants) and patients.” This includes implementing measures for preventing and dealing with sexual abuse of patients as well as the provision of funding for therapy and counselling for patients who have alleged to have been sexually abused by a registrant. As part of its role and as defined under By-Law #6, the Committee may be required at the Board’s discretion to recommend changes to applicable statutes, regulations, by-laws, College policies and standards of practice as well as provide guidance to the Board on matters concerning patient relations.

Professional Committee Appointees:

• Ghazal Adnan
• Adrian Bumstead
• Nikki Patel
• Saliman Joyian

Lay Committee Appointees:

• Kathy Al-Zand
• Shelby Parente
• Ravil Veli (Chair)
• Saeed Walji
• Audrey Wubbenhorst

Staff Resource: Delia Sinclair Frigault

Staff Admin: Sharlene Rankin

Committee Role:
The Quality Assurance Committee oversees the College’s Quality Assurance (QA) Program which helps ensure the continuing competency of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to protect the public. As described in the legislated Objects of the College, the purpose of the QA Program is not only to assure the public that healthcare professionals are competent to provide patient care, but also to contribute to individual and system-wide continuous quality improvement.

The College’s QA Program is grounded in current best practice which indicates that multiple yet complementary assessment modalities employed on different occasions in the practitioner’s practice is the best approach. The College’s QA Program includes the following QA activities: self-assessment, practice assessment, and knowledge assessment.

Each of these activities provide feedback that either validates the practitioner’s current practice or identifies learning opportunities. In this way, each of these activities feed into determining the ongoing professional development that is required.

The QA Committee oversees the development of QA requirements and related policies and makes recommendations to the Board regarding regulatory changes. In addition, the Committee appoints quality assurance assessors annually. Panels of the QA Committee review practice and peer assessment reports and require those individuals whose knowledge, skill and judgement have been assessed and found to have fallen below a cut score (based on the Standards) to participate in remediation. Such remediation focuses on the individual practice competence of the registrant, rather than broader topic remediation required by other statutory committees.

The Committee can also direct the Registrar to impose terms, conditions, or limitations for a specified period on the certificate of registration of a registrant whose knowledge, skill and judgement has been assessed or reassessed and found to have consistently fallen below standards, or who has been directed to participate in specified education or remediation and has not completed those programs successfully. The Committee may sit as a panel to consider any matter arising out of a practice assessment, clinical knowledge assessment or any matter relating to the imposition of terms, conditions, or limitations on a registrant’s certificate.

Public Directors (2):

• Stephen Molnar
• Cindy Wagg

Professional Committee Appointees:

• H – Annie Brooks
• T – Anna Cardozo
• H – Mishka Danchuk-Lauzon
• Andrea Fernandes
• T- Amber Farhat
• Eric Kam
• Pritesh Mistry
• Karen Riley (Chair)
• Max Yaghchi

Staff Resource: Kristin Reid

Staff Admin: Angela Tse

Committee Role:
As set out in the Objects of the College, the College, through the Registration Committee, is responsible for developing, establishing, and maintaining standards of qualification for persons to be issued certificates of registration. The role of the Committee is defined in the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA) and the General Regulation under the Pharmacy Act. The legislation also sets out requirements that the Office of the Fairness Commissioner (OFC) oversees for the purpose of ensuring registration practices are transparent, objective, impartial and fair for anyone applying to practice their profession in Ontario.

Within these parameters, the Registration Committee oversees the development of registration requirements and related policies and makes recommendations to the Board on changes to these requirements.

An overview of core registration requirements is provided in the table below:

Requirements for All Classes	Additional Requirements for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians (Non-exemptible)
Language Proficiency	Education
Good Character-Police Background Check	Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) Qualifying Exam
Canadian Citizen or appropriate status	OCP Jurisprudence Exam
Personal Professional Liability Insurance	OCP Practical Training Practice Assessment of Competence on Entry (PACE) for pharmacistsStructured Practical Training (SPT) for pharmacy technicians
Required Fees Paid

Note: There are four permanent classes of registration and two temporary classes (emergency assignment) of registration. The requirements for each are posted on the College website. 

Panels of the Registration Committee are responsible for reviewing all applications that do not clearly meet the requirements for the Registrar to issue a Certificate of Registration. Panels decide if the applicant meets the registration requirements and directs the Registrar to either register the Applicant (with or without any additional training or examinations, or terms, conditions, and limitations) or refuse to register the Applicant. All decisions of the Registration Committee panels are appealable to the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board.

Public Directors:

• Danny Paquette
• Devinder Walia

Professional Committee Appointees:

• Kenny Chong
• Andrea Fernandes
• HT – Danielle Garceau (Chair)
• Cindy Giby
• Nikki Patel
• T – Beverly Miller
• Craig Whistance-Smith

Dean:

• Lisa Dolovich
• Andrea Edginton
• Alain Stintzi

Ontario Pharm Tech Program Rep:

• Angela Roach

Lay Committee Appointee:

• Megan Sloan
• Bernadette Santiago

Staff Resource: Greg Purchase

Staff Admin: Deborah Byerer

Committee Role:
The Drug Preparation Premises (DPP) Committee considers matters relating to the operation of drug preparation premises in Ontario. The DPP Committee is responsible for the oversight of registrants engaging in or supervising drug preparation activities, ensuring requirements defined in legislation and policy and assessment criteria are adhered to. The committee reviews the results of DPP assessments and issues one of the following outcomes: pass, pass with conditions or fail.

Public Directors:

• Elnora Magboo
• Stephen Molnar

Professional Committee Appointees:

• Adnan Bodalbhai
• H – Lori Chen
• Agatha Dwilewicz
• Nadia Filippetto
• Frank Hack (Chair)
• Wassim Houneini
• Chintan Patel
• Tracy Wiersema
• Veronica Sales

Staff Resource: Katryna Spadafore

Staff Admin: Liisa Nasu

Committee Role:
The Finance and Audit Committee (FAC) is responsible for supervising and making recommendations to the Board regarding College assets and liabilities, as well as additions or improvements to property owned or operated by the College. The Committee reviews and recommends to the Board the annual operating budget prepared by staff, monitors, and reports on the College’s financial status, and directs the audit process. The Committee also recommends any changes to applicable by-laws, policies (e.g., reserve funds, execution of contracts), and standards.

The Finance and Audit Committee engages external auditors to assess and test the College’s internally produced financial statements, significant accounting policies, management judgements and estimates, and the internal control environment to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement. The Committee recommends the appointment or reappointment of the auditor each year and meets with the auditor before and after the audit.

Elected Directors:

• Jennifer Antunes
• Simon Boulis
• Wilf Steer
• Victor Wong

Public Director:

• Adrienne Katz (Chair)
• Francis Michaud
• Cindy Wagg

Staff Resource: Thomas Custers & Svetlana Sorokina

Staff Admin: Sharlene Rankin

Committee Role:
The Governance Committee determines the competencies the Board will be seeking in the Board elections and implements the succession strategy for Chair and Vice Chair and Executive Committee positions. The Committee also recommends the slate of Committee appointees for the Board’s consideration and oversees orientation, training and evaluation of the Directors and Board.

Elected Directors:

• PT – Jennifer Antunes
• Siva Sivapalan (Chair)

Public Director:

• Jamie Killingsworth
• Stephen Molnar

Lay Committee Appointees:

• John Halligan
• Christine Henderson
• Sylvia Moustacalis

Staff Resource: Susan James

Staff Admin: Sharlene Rankin

Committee Role:
Using established by-laws and required identified competencies, the Screening Committee will screen qualified candidates for the Board of Directors election as well as screen and recommend applicants for appointment as professional and lay committee appointees for the board year.

Governance Committee Chair:

• Siva Sivapalan

Public Director:

• Danny Paquette

Elected Director:

• Victor Wong

Lay Committee Appointees:

• Megan Sloan
• Jennifer Shin

Staff Admin: Sharlene Rankin

Elected Director:

• Megan Peck

Public Directors:

• Adrienne Katz
• James Killingsworth
• Stephen Molnar

Professional Committee Appointees:

• Chris Aljawhiri (Co-Chair)

Lay Committee Appointees:

• Christine Henderson (Co-Chair)

Staff Resource: Angela Bates

Staff Admin: Leslie Fitzsimons