Canada OT CPDs: License Renewal and Online Courses

Full OT CPD Requirements in Canada

All OTs must be registered with their provincial regulator to work in Canada. Occupational Therapy licensure renewal requirements vary by province.

Regardless of where you practice, all Canadian OTs are held to the standards outlined in the Competencies for Occupational Therapists in Canada. This includes creating professional development plans and learning goals, and engaging in ongoing professional development activities.

How many professional development hours are required? 

• Occupational therapists in most Canadian provinces are not required to complete a specific number of professional development hours. Rather, OTs are expected to engage in professional development activities on an ongoing basis to meet their professional development learning goals and competency requirements.

Here are the Canadian continuing competence requirements by province:

Province	Professional Development Requirements	Registration Renewal Date	Verify Here	Registration Verification
Alberta	Complete a College selected annual mandatory training and engage in goal-directed learning activities.	Renew annually by February 28	Alberta College of Occupational Therapists (ACOT)	Public Directory
British Columbia	Complete the Annual Continuing Competence Review (ACCR) once yearly. Engage in goal-directed learning activities.	Renew annually by June 30	College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (COTBC)	License Verification
Manitoba	Engage in professional development and learning activities annually as required by the Continuing Competence Program.	Renew annually by April 30	College of Occupational Therapists of Manitoba (COTM)	The OT Directory
Nova Scotia	Complete a professional development plan, engage in goal-directed learning activities, and complete eLearning Modules as assigned.	Renew annually by May 15	Nova Scotia Occupational Therapy Regulator (NSOTR)	Public Directory
Ontario	Complete an annual learning plan and an annual eLearning module as assigned.	Renew annually by October 31	The College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO)	Public Register
New Brunswick	None specified on association website. All Canadian OTs are expected to engage in ongoing goal-directed learning activities.	Renew annually by March 31	New Brunswick Association of Occupational Therapists (NBAOT)	Member List
Newfoundland and Labrador	Complete a self-assessment and professional development plan with 2-3 learning goals. Engage in ongoing learning activities.	Renew annually by January 31	Newfoundland and Labrador Occupational Therapy Board (NLOTB)	Is Your OT Licensed
Québec	Complete at least 45 hours of continuing education activities every renewal cycle. Minimum of 30 hours of structured learning activities, such as courses, workshops, or seminars.	Renew every 3 years by April 30	Ordre des ergothérapeutes du Québec (OEQ)	Trouver un ergothérapeute
Prince Edward Island	30 hours required every 3 years. Complete a self-assessment and identify professional learning goals. Engage in ongoing learning activities and record them in the completed learning activities form.	Renew annually by March 15	Prince Edward Island College of Occupational Therapists (PEICOT)	Members List
Saskatchewan	Engage in professional development and learning activities annually as required by the Continuing Competence Program.	Renew annually by February 15th	The Saskatchewan College of Occupational Therapists (SCOT)	OT Directory

No regulatory bodies exist yet in Yukon, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories. OTs in these territories can be registered by regulatory bodies in other provinces.

Steps for Renewing Your OT License

Step 1: Look up your OT license.

To begin the process, I always double-check that my license is displaying correctly. You can look up your Canada occupational therapist license here.

Step 2: Confirm the Canada OT continuing education requirements. 

It’s always good to double check for any updates to your licensing cycle. You can do so with the resources above. And, please reach out to me if you see any discrepancies.

Step 3: Earn your CPD hours.

Ok, now that you know your requirements, it is time to start earning those CPDs! There are of course a lot of options out there, but we hope you consider checking out the courses offered by OT Potential.

Step 4: Renew your license. 🎉

Ok, now it’s time for the big moment.

You can renew your license online.

Do OT Potential Online Courses Count as CPDs?

Yes! You can learn more in our post: How OT Potential Helps Meet Your CEU Requirements.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you found this post helpful!

If you have any other questions about continuing education and your OT license renewal, please contact us!