News

Key decisions and discussions from the March 23, 2026, Board meeting are summarized below.   Pharmacy Technician annual fees to undergo comprehensive reviewThe Board directed staff to undertake a comprehensive review of pharmacy technician fees and to provide fee structure options for consideration at the September 2026 Board meeting ahead of the 2027 budget process. Although fee changes were not possible for 2026 under the current By-Law and timelines, the Board agreed that the feedback received through…

A new Pharmacy Connection article explores why recognizing, reporting and analyzing near misses is important for patient safety and the implementation of quality improvement initiatives. Near misses are events that could have led to inappropriate medication use or patient harm but were intercepted before reaching the patient.  They also provide valuable learning opportunities. Analyzing these events to identify contributing factors can help pharmacies strengthen safeguards and make improvements that prevent future incidents.   Learn when you should…

March is Pharmacy Appreciation Month, and the College would like to recognize the vital contributions of Ontario’s more than 25,000 regulated pharmacy professionals who support the health and well-being of patients across the province. Your knowledge, expertise and dedication have a meaningful impact on the lives of Ontarians. As our health system continues to evolve, pharmacy will evolve alongside it, and pharmacy professionals will remain essential in delivering safe, ethical and high‑quality pharmacy care. We…

The College has received growing feedback about the annual renewal fees. We take the feedback very seriously. Each year, the Board of Directors approves an annual operating budget that ensures OCP has the financial resources to fulfill its statutory responsibilities defined in legislation and Board-approved strategic and operational priorities as Ontario’s pharmacy regulator. This budget is carefully developed and thoughtfully considers our fiscal obligations. We recognize that annual registration fees are paid by dedicated, hard-working…

Training Course for Non-Sterile Compounding Supervisors Following approval from the Board in March 2024 and in response to operational assessment data showing non-sterile compounding standards in some pharmacies are not being fully met, the College has developed a training course for non-sterile compounding supervisors.   As of February 5, 2026, this training course, which comprises eight modules and one final exam, is mandatory for registrants who are:  New to the role of non-sterile compounding supervisor   Current non-sterile compounding supervisors in…

The College’s annual renewal for registrants is now available. Email reminders will be sent to registrants leading up to the March 10, 2026 deadline. Except for interns and intern technicians, all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians must complete this year’s annual renewal process by March 10, 2026. Follow the steps below to complete this year’s renewal. Before you begin you will need: Credit card if paying online User ID: Your OCP number Password: If you forgot…

A new Pharmacy Connection article shares a helpful tool to support pharmacy professionals with documentation in the patient record. Complete, up-to-date and accurate patient records enhance patient safety by supporting continuity of care, inter- and intra-professional delivery of care, and optimized decision making. Pharmacy technicians play an important role by gathering, reviewing, entering and/or updating the information in a patient record. They can also conduct a Best Possible Medication History (BPMH) to support the pharmacist’s clinical assessment…

The College is seeking pharmacy professionals to join its working groups for the entry-to-practice Jurisprudence, Ethics and Professionalism exam. We welcome applications from pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who have the knowledge, skills and experience to contribute to the development or review of multiple-choice questions. As a member of a Jurisprudence, Ethics and Professionalism working group, you are expected to participate in four to six meetings per year and sign a confidentiality agreement. Question writers, reviewers and…

AIMS is an important program that helps keep patients safe. The consistent and mandatory standard for medication safety for all pharmacies in the province enables continuous quality improvements and shared learnings to reduce the risk of medication incidents and prevent patient harm.   New requirements of the AIMS Program will take effect on January 1, 2027. This means that 2026 will be a year of transition and preparation for pharmacies. Check out our latest Pharmacy Connection…

We’re seeking input on potential changes to the number, composition (pharmacist and pharmacy technician seats), and term limits of elected Board directors. These potential changes are intended to address challenges with development and succession planning for Board and committee leadership, capacity pressures on standing and statutory committees, and maintaining legal Board constitution if directors unexpectedly resign.  This consultation considers by-law changes that may address these issues through the addition of two elected directors (one pharmacist…