The College of Optometrists of British Columbia (CDOBC) is proposing an amendment to its bylaws (Sections 9 and 10) in response to July 7, 2023, changes to the Health Professions Designation and Amalgamation Regulation, which will amalgamate CDOBC with several other health professions regulatory colleges into a single college on June 28, 2024. A copy of that Order in Council can be found at Order in Council 421/2023 (gov.bc.ca).

The proposed bylaw amendment is subject to the notice requirement described in section 19(6.2) of the Health Professions Act. Accordingly, notice of the amendment is hereby provided to the public, the Ministry of Health, and other interested stakeholders.

The proposed amendment extends the term of office of the elected CDOBC Board member for one year. This will provide for those elected board members whose terms would have expired on April 15, 2024, to continue to serve on the CDOBC Board for the limited time remaining until amalgamation, when the terms of all CDOBC board members will expire under section 25.05 of the Health Professions Act. Keeping these elected members on the CDOBC Board in the lead up to amalgamation will allow for ongoing experience and informed governance in the final meetings of the Board. The proposed amendments are like those previously enacted by other health professions colleges as they prepared for amalgamation under the HPA.

The amendment includes the following change:

1. Section 9 is repealed and replaced by the following:

Election

9              (1)          An election under section 17(3)(a) of the Act must take place no later than April 15 of each year in which the term of office for one or more board members comes to an end.

(2)          The candidate who receives the most votes is elected.

(3)          If there is more than one vacancy, candidates are elected according to the number of votes they received.

(4)          In the case of a tie, the registrar must select the successful candidate by random draw.

(5)          The registrar must certify newly elected board members pursuant to section 17.1(1) of the Act in Form 5.

2. Section 10 is repealed and replaced by the following:

Term of office

10 . (1) The term of office of an elected board member is three years effective April 16 following the date of the election.

(2)          No board member may serve more than three consecutive terms of office.

(3)          Despite subsection (1), the term of office for every elected board member who holds office on the date this subsection comes into force is extended by one year.

View resolution of the board and proposed amendment (PDF)

Comments can be sent to:

CDOBC

Email: college@optometrybc.ca

Mail:

Rick C Gambrel, Registrar
College of  Optometrists f British Columbia
906 – 938 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6z 1N9

Ministry of Health

Email: PROREGADMIN@gov.bc.ca

Mail:

Director of Regulatory Initiatives Professional
Regulation Oversight Branch; Ministry of Health
515 Blanchard Street, Victoria, BC V8W 9P4