College of Opticians of British Columbia

College of Opticians of British Columbia

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New COBC Board Members View Full Story Minimize

Posted: March 04, 2010 |

The College of Opticians of British Columbia (COBC) announces that Lesley Bernbaum has been appointed to the Board as a new public member and Aly Jamal has been appointed by the Board to finish the electoral district 4 (Cariboo) term. The College of Opticians of British Columbia (COBC) announces that Lesley Bernbaum has been appointed to the Board as a new public member and Aly Jamal has been appointed by the Board to finish the electoral district 4 (Cariboo) term. Lesley Bernbaum's term ends January 31, 2011 and Aly Jamal's term ends December 31, 2010.

Click here to view Lesley Bernbaum's biography.

Click here to view the Certificate of Election for Aly Jamal (District 4).

Bylaw Amendment Dec 21, 2009 View Full Story Minimize

Posted: January 22, 2010 |

On December 21, 2009, the College of Opticians of BC (COBC) Board approved draft changes to Schedule "A" of the College's Bylaws. On December 21, 2009, the College of Opticians of BC (COBC) Board approved draft changes to Schedule "A" of the College's Bylaws. Notice of these changes is hereby provided to the Minister of Health, the public and other interested stakeholders as required by section 19 (6.2) of the Health Professions Act.The current COBC bylaws can be downloaded at: www.cobc.ca/Resource_Room.

The purpose of the proposed amendment to Schedule “A” is to specify educational programs approved or provisionally approved by the College as meeting the standards of academic or technical achieved required for registration.

The COBC will be requesting the Minister of Health for a shorter notice period and waiver of the disallowance period, therefore we are asking for any feedback on the proposed amendments to be returned to COBC and to the Minister of Health no later than noon on Wednesday, January 20, 2010.

Feedback can be sent to:

Ministry of Health Services:
by e-mail to: HLTH.LPRAdmin@gov.bc.ca
by fax or ordinary mail to the attention of:
Daryl Beckett
Director, Professional Regulation
Ministry of Health Services
5th floor, 1515 Blanshard St.
Victoria, BC V8W 3C8
Fax: 250-952-2205

College of Opticians of BC:
by e-mail to: mtsao@cobc.ca
by fax or ordinary mail to the attention of:
Michael Tsao, Deputy Registrar
College of Opticians of British Columbia
Suite 420 - 2025 West Broadway
Fax: (604) 278-7594

Click here for the relevant board motion and schedule of the changes.

COBC Election Results District 3 and District 5 View Full Story Minimize

Posted: January 04, 2010 |

The College of Opticians of British Columbia (COBC) announces that John Kerns (District 3) and Lutz Sprecher (District 5) have been elected to the COBC Board. The College of Opticians of British Columbia (COBC) announces that John Kerns, respresenting Electoral District 3, and Lutz Sprecher, representing Electoral District 5, have been elected to the COBC Board. Both John Kerns and Lutz Sprecher's term of office is January 4, 2010 to December 31, 2012.

Click here to view the Certificate of Election for John Kerns (District 3).

Click here to view the Certificate of Election for Lutz Sprecher (District 5).

Jensen Lunny MacInnes Law Corporation scrutineered the results of the election.

Here are the results of the election for District 3 (Okanagan & Kootenays):

John Kerns - 45 votes
Dialma Waite - 31 votes

A total of 76 votes were cast. There were no rejected ballots.

Here are the results of the election for District 5 (Contact Lens Fitter):

Lutz Sprecher - 220 votes
Aly Jamal - 169 votes

A total of 392 votes were cast. There were 3 rejected ballots.

Bylaw Amendment - Filed on December 3, 2009 View Full Story Minimize

Posted: December 17, 2009 |

On December 3, 2009, the bylaw amendments from November 1, 2009 were filed with the Ministry of Health Services. These amendments come into force on December 31, 2009. On November 1, 2009, the College of Opticians of BC (COBC) Board approved draft changes to the College's Bylaws. The relevant board motion and schedule of the changes are attached. On December 3, 2009, these bylaw amendments were filed with the Ministry of Health Services. See the first link below for the Order of the Minister of Health Services No. M 272, and the COBC board resolution. See the second link below for the bylaw amendments from November 1, 2009.
Order of the Minister of Health Services

November 1, 2009 Bylaw Amendment attachment

MCE Group 3 due December 31, 2009 View Full Story Minimize

Posted: December 16, 2009 |

Mandatory Continuing Education (MCE) Group 3, please submit your MCE credits before December 31, 2009.
Mandatory Continuing Education (MCE) Group 3, please submit your MCE credits before December 31, 2009.

- Practicing and Non-Practicing Dispensing Opticians are required to complete 21 MCE credits ( Dispensing Opticians need at least 12 EG credits).
- Practicing and Non-Practicing Contact Lens Fitters are required to complete 36 MCE credits (Contact Lens Fitters need at least 12 EG credits and at least 15 CL credits).

MCE credits can be completed through various ways, such as attending MCE events, completing online workshops or courses, organizing study clubs, or volunteering as an examiner.

For more information, you can contact the COBC office at 604-278-7510 (toll-free: 1-888-771-6755) or by email at reception@cobc.ca.

Once you have completed the required number of MCE credits, please email, mail or fax the MCE credits certificates (the credit slips) to the COBC office.

Your continued registration as a British Columbia Optician depends on your completion of the Mandatory Continuing Education requirement, so please remember to submit your credits before December 31, 2009.

Electoral District 3 and Electoral District 5 View Full Story Minimize

Posted: December 16, 2009 |

An election is being held for Electoral District 3 (Okanagan/Kootenays) and Electoral District 5 (Contact Lens Fitter) from November 30, 2009 to December 31, 2009.
An election is being held for Electoral District 3 (Okanagan/Kootenays) and Electoral District 5 (Contact Lens Fitter) from November 30, 2009 to December 31, 2009.

Each year, the registrants of the College of Opticians of British Columbia elect two of their own to the governing Board. This year two candidates from Electoral District 3 and 2 candidates from Electoral District 5 are standing for election to the Board.

It is appropriate, as the elections approach, to remind both the candidates and the voting members about the duties of the College and the roles of a Board member. There are a number of worthy sources for this information, from the Health Professions Act (which is the College’s enabling legislation) to a 2004 report from the Ombudsman of British Columbia. The College encourages all opticians to understand the important role the COBC plays as a regulatory body, and how it differs fundamentally from the purposes of a professional association.

A regulatory body is responsible for protecting the public interest and acting in the public interest, while a professional association may advocate to advance the interests of the profession and their businesses. Each member of the board of the regulatory body is bound as a fiduciary -a very high duty that includes subsuming all other interests in favor of the public interest.

The 2 candidates for Electoral District 3 (Okanagan/Kootenays) are:
- Kerns, John (re-election)
- Waite, Dialma

The 2 candidates for Electoral District 5 (Contact Lens Fitter) are:
- Jamal, Aly
- Sprecher, Lutz (re-election)

Click here to read the full version of the profiles each candidate submitted

All registered opticians in good standing from Electoral District 3 may vote for a candidate in Electoral District 3. All registered opticians in good standing may vote for a candidate in Electoral District 5. Your ballot must be received by the Registrar no later than 11:59 pm on December 31, 2009. Ballots received after the deadline will not be counted.

Registrants will be notified of the results of the election in January 2010. Terms for the newly elected Board members take effect on January 4, 2010. The member from Electoral District 3 and the member from Electoral District 5 will serve three year terms.

Please contact the College office at 604-278-7510 if you are a registrant from District 3 (Okanagan/Kootenays) or District 5 (Contact Lens Fitter) and did not receive an election package.

Bylaw Amendment - November 1, 2009 View Full Story Minimize

Posted: November 06, 2009 |

On November 1, 2009, the College of Opticians of BC (COBC) Board approved draft changes to the College's Bylaws. On November 1, 2009, the College of Opticians of BC (COBC) Board approved draft changes to the College's Bylaws. Notice of these changes is hereby provided to the Minister of Health, the public and other interested stakeholders as required by section 19 (6.2) of the Health Professions Act. Attached is the relevant board motion and schedule of the changes. Please note that the enclosed bylaw amendments are a revised form of the bylaw amendments passed by the Board on June 7, 2009, notice of which was provided to the Minister and others on June 24, 2009. The revised amendments are intended to better reflect recent legislative amendments and an emerging standard format for registration bylaws at health profession colleges in British Columbia. Since these bylaws are substantially the same, we ask that any feeback would be addressed to the COBC or the Ministry of Health Services by November 15, 2009.

November 1, 2009 Bylaw Amendment attachment

Court of Appeal Decision About the Safe Dispensing of Contact Lenses View Full Story Minimize

Posted: October 29, 2009 |

The College of Opticians of British Columbia (COBC) today welcomed the decision of the Court of Appeal on The College of Opticians of British Columbia v. Coastal Contacts Inc. and Clearly Contacts Ltd., which found that contact lenses should not be treated as ‘over the counter’ products and that a prescription is required in order to dispense contact lenses. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 29, 2009
College of Opticians of British Columbia

Court of Appeal Decision About the Safe Dispensing of Contact Lenses

Vancouver – The College of Opticians of British Columbia (COBC) today welcomed the decision of the Court of Appeal on The College of Opticians of British Columbia v. Coastal Contacts Inc. and Clearly Contacts Ltd., which found that contact lenses should not be treated as ‘over the counter’ products and that a prescription is required in order to dispense contact lenses.

“We are pleased with the Court’s decision that protects consumer safety and requires accurately dispensed contact lenses,” said COBC Chair Kent Ashby. “Protection of one’s eyesight and buying contact lenses should never be a ‘buyer beware’ proposition.”

The decision found that the respondents, both sellers of contact lens over the Internet, had failed to comply with the regulations governing the safe dispensing of contact lenses, but has also given the companies six months to establish a business model that does conform to the regulations.

“The goal of the COBC is to have the respondents operate within the law and the standards of practice. We regulate to ensure that individual practitioners and companies provide the highest standard of vision care and accountability, “said Ashby. “Our hope is that both companies come forward with a method of operation that meets the regulated standards for safe practice so that they may continue to serve customers”.

In BC contact lenses may be obtained, with a prescription, from a regulated health professional such as an optician, optometrist, or ophthalmologist. The College of Opticians of British Columbia regulates and improves the practice of opticians in the public interest by ensuring that BC Opticians provide quality professional care to help people achieve better vision

-30-
For more information, contact:
Nick Atkinson
Registrar, College of Opticians
(604) 278-7510

AGM & Contact Lens Fitter Live Board Election View Full Story Minimize

Posted: October 30, 2009 |

Both the College Annual General Meeting and contact lens fitter live Board election will be held on November 1, 2009 at the Delta Burnaby Hotel at 11:30AM. The COBC's Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held November 1, 2009 at 11:30AM at the Delta Burnaby Hotel (4331 Dominion Street). The live election event to elect a contact lens fitter to the College Board will follow after the AGM.

Lutz Sprecher and Aly Jamal will each present their campaign speech and every registrant present will have the opportunity to submit an election ballot for their choice of candidate. Every registrant is eligible to vote for a contact lens fitter nominee. Please bring a picture I.D. to confirm you are a registrant.

We hope that everyone can make it to the live election event and hear each nominee’s exciting new vision for regulating opticianry in BC and looking after the interests of the public. If you cannot make it to a live election event, an election ballot will be mailed to you and election polls will be open from November 30, 2009 to December 31, 2009.

Okanagan/Kootenays Live Board Election View Full Story Minimize

Posted: October 13, 2009 |

A live Board election will be held in Kelowna and Kamloops on October 20 and October 21 respectively. John Kerns and Dialma Waite are the Board election candidates for District 3 (Okanagan/Kootenays). The live election to elect a nominee from the Okanagan/Kootenays will be held on October 20, 2009 at 6:30PM at the Sandman Hotel (2130 Harvey Avenue, Kelowna, BC) and October 21, 2009 at 6:30PM at the Ramada Inn (555 Columbia St. West, Kamloops, BC).

John Kerns and Dialma Waite will each present their campaign speech and only registrants that live in the Okanagan/Kootenays are eligible to vote. Please bring a picture I.D. to confirm you are a registrant.

We hope that everyone can make it to their district’s live election event and hear each nominee’s exciting new vision for regulating opticianry in BC and looking after the interests of the public. If you cannot make it to a live election event, an election ballot will be mailed to you and election polls will be open from November 30, 2009 to December 31, 2009.

Notice of Election 2009 View Full Story Minimize

Posted: September 09, 2009 |

The Elections are coming up and by the start of the new year, one registrant from District 3 (Okanagan/Kootenays) and one registration from District 5 (contact lens fitter) will be the newest members of the COBC Board of Directors. The Elections are coming up and by the start of the new year, one registrant from District 3 (Okanagan/Kootenays) and one registration from District 5 (contact lens fitter) will be the newest members of the COBC Board of Directors. One of these elected registrants could possibly be you, your co-worker and/or your fellow optician. By nominating yourself for elections, you have the opportunity to make a difference through regulating the practice of opticians and ensuring British Columbia Opticians provide safe and effective care to help people achieve better vision.

Working on the Board of Directors will be a fulfilling and exciting experience, as Opticians in BC will be increasingly demanded by the public due to the aging population. In addition, new issues will arise and the Board will need to seek your years of knowledge and expertise in Opticianry in helping to make important decisions. Your nomination is highly encouraged to help contribute to the practice of opticianry and to help make British Columbia a better place to live.

Click here to download the Notice of Election 2009 and Nomination Form.

Deadline for nominations: September 30, 2009

National Optical Sciences Examination View Full Story Minimize

Posted: September 09, 2009 |

The National Optical Sciences Examination will be held on October 2 - 4, 2009 at the David Lam Campus, Douglas College in Coquitlam, BC. The National Optical Sciences Examination will be held on October 2 - 4, 2009 at the David Lam Campus, Douglas College in Coquitlam, BC.

Friday October 2, 2009
Saturday October 3,2009
Sunday October 4, 2009

Examination candidates should be receiving their examination schedules in the mail by September 18, 2009. If you have any questions, please contact the College office at (604) 278-7510.

2008/2009 Annual Report & Audited Financial Statements View Full Story Minimize

Posted: August 14, 2009 |

2008/2009 Annual Report & Audited Financial Statements have been posted at the resource room. Annual Report & Audited Financial Statements for 2008/2009

The College of Opticians of British Columbia Annual Report & Audited Financial Statements has been posted at the resource room of this website: 2008/2009 Annual Report.

ATTENTION Dispensing Optician Program Students View Full Story Minimize

Posted: August 07, 2009 |

Please read this important announcement if you're a dispensing optician program student... NOTICE

Accreditation of Optician Education Programs – December 31, 2009 Deadline

For several years, the College of Opticians of British Columbia, together with other Canadian optician regulators, has participated in national initiatives to harmonize standards of qualification for entry into the profession and to increase labour mobility for opticians across Canada. Central to these efforts is a program of national accreditation for optician training programs, undertaken under the auspices of the National Association of Canadian Optician Regulators (NACOR).

All Canadian optician training programs were provisionally approved pending completion of the NACOR accreditation process. The deadline for schools to have their programs accredited by NACOR, and approved by the College, is December 31, 2009. All of the schools whose programs are currently provisionally approved will lose that status effective January 1, 2010. As of January 1, 2010, programs will continue to meet the College’s education requirements only if they are approved by the College following completion of the accreditation process that is ongoing with those schools that are participating in the process.

Students who complete their studies after December 31, 2009 at a school which is not approved by the College as of the date of program completion will NOT be permitted to proceed directly to the qualifying examinations. Rather, students graduating from non-approved programs will be required to complete a prior learning assessment to determine whether further training or evaluation is required before undertaking the qualifying examinations and applying for registration.

While most Canadian schools are on track to complete the accreditation process by December 31, 2009, currently only Georgian College in Ontario has completed the NACOR accreditation process and been approved by the College beyond December 31, 2009.

Please check the College website for updates and further information on the accreditation process.

June 7, 2009 Resolutions of the Board View Full Story Minimize

Posted: July 30, 2009 |

RESOLUTIONS OF THE BOARD OF THE COLLEGE OF OPTICIANS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA MADE THE 7th DAY OF JUNE, 2009 AT VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA RESOLUTIONS OF THE BOARD OF THE COLLEGE OF OPTICIANS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA MADE THE 7th DAY OF JUNE, 2009 AT VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA

RESOLVED THAT, in accordance with the authority established in section 19(1) of the Health Professions Act, and subject to subsections 19(3.1) and (6.2) of the Health Professions Act, the Board amend the Bylaws of the College of Opticians of British Columbia, as indicated in Schedule “A” attached to these Resolutions.

RESOLVED THAT, the Executive Committee, consistent with the intent of the attached, review and revise Schedule “A” attached to these Resolutions to place them into final form, and then direct Registrar to take all steps required pursuant to subsection 19(6.2) of the Health Professions Act in relation to the amendments to the Bylaws as indicated in Schedule “A” attached to these Resolutions, as they may be revised by the Executive Committee.

RESOLVED THAT, effective January 1, 2010, only the accredited education programs approved by the Board as of that date will meet the requirements for registration pursuant to the Bylaws. Currently, the National Association of Canadian Optician Regulators conducts an assessment and presents a report for approval by the Board.

RESOLVED THAT, the Board shall, periodically, review the educational programs approved as meeting the requirements for registration pursuant to the Bylaws and direct the Registrar to publish any changes to the approved programs. Such review should be on an annual basis and in a period not to exceed six years.

RESOLVED THAT, the Registrar is directed to prepare and present to the Board for approval, transitional provisions for applicants who graduated from an educational program which is not approved by the Board, but which was approved by the Board at the time the applicant enrolled in or commenced the program.

RESOLVED THAT, the Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition Policy attached to these Resolutions as Schedule “B” is adopted and the Registration Committee directed to incorporate this policy with the policy reported to the Board today, June 7, 2009, to create a single merged document which shall be the policy and shall be posted as such.

RESOLVED THAT, the Registrar is directed to calculate and present to the Board for approval, a fee schedule on a cost-recovery basis for the Prior Learning Assessment process.

RESOLVED THAT, the adoption of the optical sciences eyeglass and contact lens fitting examinations of the National Association of Canadian Optician Regulators as the qualifying examinations for registration in British Columbia is continued and affirmed.

Bylaw Admendment View Full Story Minimize

Posted: June 24, 2009 |

RESOLUTIONS OF THE BOARD OF THE COLLEGE OF OPTICIANS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA MADE THE 7th DAY OF JUNE, 2009 AT VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
On June 7, 2009, the College of Opticians of BC (COBC) Board approved draft changes to the College's Bylaws. Notice of these changes is hereby provided to the Minister of Health, the public and other interested stakeholders as required by section 19 (6.2) of the Health Professions Act. Attached is the relevant board motion and schedule of the changes. The current COBC bylaws can be downloaded at: www.cobc.ca/Resource_Room.aspx. The purpose of the proposed amendments is to ensure that the Bylaws appropriately reflect the College’s participation in national efforts to harmonize standards of admission to the field of opticianry and facilitate labour mobility among opticians, consistent with the Agreement on Internal Trade.

COBC will be requesting the Minister of Health for a shorter notice period and waiver of the disallowance period, therefore we are asking for any feedback on the proposed amendments to be returned to COBC and to the Minister of Health no later than noon on Wednesday, July 8th.

Feedback can be sent to:

Ministry of Health Services:
by e-mail to: HLTH.LPRAdmin@gov.bc.ca
by fax or ordinary mail to the attention of:
Daryl Beckett
Director, Professional Regulation
Ministry of Health Services
5th floor, 1515 Blanshard St.
Victoria, BC V8W 3C8
Fax: 250-952-2205

College of Opticians of BC
by e-mail to: mtsao@cobc.ca
by fax or ordinary mail to the attention of:
Michael Tsao, Deputy Registrar
College of Opticians of British Columbia
Suite 420 - 2025 West Broadway
Fax: (604) 278-7594

________________________________

RESOLUTIONS OF THE BOARD OF THE COLLEGE OF OPTICIANS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA MADE THE 7th DAY OF JUNE, 2009 AT VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA

RESOLVED THAT, in accordance with the authority established in section 19(1) of the Health Professions Act, and subject to subsections 19(3.1) and (6.2) of the Health Professions Act, the Board amend the Bylaws of the College of Opticians of British Columbia, as indicated in Schedule “A” attached to these Resolutions.

Click here for Schedule "A"

Hiring for a Communications & Administrative Coordinator View Full Story Minimize

Posted: July 15, 2009 |

Job Type: 12 months, Full-Time contract with the possibility of a permanent position
Salary: Based on experience
Number of Positions Open: 1
Start Date of Employment: ASAP
Deadline: June 20, 2009
Reply to: cchong at cobc dot ca
Job Type: 12 months, Full-Time contract with the possibility of a permanent position
Salary: Based on experience
Number of Positions Open: 1
Start Date of Employment: ASAP
Deadline: June 19, 2009

The College of Opticians of British Columbia (COBC) is the health regulatory body for all Opticians in BC. The College is responsible for regulating Opticianry in the public interest and ensure that Opticians are providing competent and effective care to help people achieve better vision.

Job Description:
The Communications & Administrative Coordinator is responsible for providing support to the office and the Registrar through writing reports, external communication with registrants and the public, and contributing effectively and efficiently to the work of the COBC. You will be primarily engaged in report research and writing, including reports to the government, fact sheets and newsletters for registrants, and informational publications for the public. You will also facilitate Board and Committee meetings and assist in the administration of the COBC, including the registration of registrants, data management, policy development, fiscal management and website management.

This position is a good opportunity to gain experience for further career opportunities in executive leadership. The Communications & Administrative Coordinator will learn by working with the Registrar and participating directly in strategic planning, projects, and interactions with national and provincial related organizations and contractors. The COBC is dedicated to training and equipping you in the field of professional non-profit management and administration.

Qualifications:
You have strong analytical skills and you are confident of your research and writing abilities. You work well within a team environment and under pressure, efficient in completing tasks, and pay attention to detail. You have experience in communications and have confidence in your verbal skills and computer software skills.

Assets would include an undergraduate degree in International Relations or Communications, knowledge of accounting systems, graphic design, desktop publishing, policy writing, media, website administration and an interest in health legislation and regulation.

Contact Information:
Please direct enquiries, resumes, and cover letters to:
Connie Chong
Assistant Registrar
604.278.7510 ext 24 (toll-free: 1.888.771.6755)
cchong at cobc dot ca

Find Out More

New Information on Moving to Another Province View Full Story Minimize

Posted: April 29, 2009 |

The College would like to update you on the changes to the Agreement on Internal Trade (“AIT”) and how they may impact on the programs offered by British Columbia and other Province’s Opticians Programs Background - The Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)

The AIT is an intergovernmental trade agreement between the Government of Canada and the provinces and territories which came into force in 1995. Its purpose is to reduce and eliminate to the extent possible, barriers to the free movement of persons, goods, services and investments within Canada. Since 1998, there have been amendments to the agreement in the form of protocols. The most recent protocols are the Ninth Protocol of Amendment: Labour Mobility (Chapter 7) and Tenth Protocol of Amendment: Dispute Resolution Mechanism (Chapter 17). It is the Ninth Protocol, which came into effect on April 1, 2009, which is at the heart of the correspondence that has circulated.

The Ninth Protocol of Amendment enables any worker certified for an occupation by a regulatory authority of one province to be recognized as qualified to practise that occupation by all other provinces. Any exceptions to full labour mobility have to be clearly identified and justified as required to meet a legitimate public policy objective such as public security and safety.

The effect of the adoption of this protocol is to formally bring into the AIT the principles that have existed in less formal form since the inception of the AIT. In other words, there is nothing “new” about the recent amendment to the AIT.

Background to the Mutual Recognition Agreement among Opticianry Regulators (the “MRA”)

By way of background, when the federal and provincial governments signed the AIT in the mid 1990’s they did so with the hope that professions would voluntarily do “the right thing” and adopt practices to ensure labour mobility. Opticians and Chiropractors, amongst others, quickly determined that it was in the best interests of their respective members, those seeking membership and the public, that registrants be able to move freely from the province in which they were educated and certified to any other province as their life circumstances changed. The MRA is the mechanism for doing this. The purpose of the MRA is expressly to comply with the requirements of the AIT. All provincial regulators of opticians are signatories to the MRA. The MRA states as its purpose:

"The [parties] enter into this MRA in order to comply with our obligations under the Agreement on Internal Trade, Chapter 7 (Labour Mobility). The purpose of this MRA is to establish the conditions under which an optician who is licensed in one Province or Territory in Canada will have his/her qualifications recognized in another Province or Territory in Canada...”

The MRA expressly recognizes NACO to assess the educational processes to ensure that there is a threshold level of competence and safety maintained across Canada for the protection of the public. The MRA states:

"NACO will determine with full respect of the right and authority of the provincial and territorial regulatory bodies and of government legislation, which educational processes have a high degree of commonality and which assessment tools may be recognized as equivalent."

So, the AIT and the MRA work in tandem. One does not replace the other, as suggested in some of the correspondence recently circulated.

The MRA speaks to the criteria by which the regulator in each province will recognize the preparatory schools in its province. By resolution, the College of Opticians of British Columbia (COBC) determined that to maintain accreditation those schools offering programs that lead to registration in BC must complete the NACOR accreditation process. If a teaching institution fails to complete the accreditation process within the amended time frames stipulated in the MRA the students from the school will no longer be eligible for registration.

March/April 2009 Newsletter View Full Story Minimize

Posted: March 17, 2009 |

Click here to download the lastest COBC newsletter. Click here to download the lastest COBC newsletter.

Registration Renewals 2009 View Full Story Minimize

Posted: February 19, 2009 |

Annual registration renewal applicaitons have been mailed and deadline for registration renewal is March 31, 2009. Registrants of the College of Opticians of British Columbia are required to renew their registrations on an annual basis. Deadline for 2009-2010 registration renewal is March 31, 2009

Registrants are required to submit to the College a completed renewal form along with supporting documentation and payment. Renewal forms that are incomplete, missing documentation or contain insufficient payment will NOT be processed. Supporting documents include:

Mandatory Continuing Education (if your assigned cycle is due)
Proof of Insurance
Criminal Record Re-check (if your surname begins with A-E and you did not submit your form by December 31, 2008

Failure to Renew Registration
Failure to submit a completed renewal of registration form or payment by the COBC deadline results in the Optician's name being removed from the register, which means that they are no longer legally able to practise as a Dispensing Optician or Contact Lens Fitter.

Members of the public can make sure that an Optician is properly registered with the COBC by contacting the COBC or by verifying that the Optician has affixed the renewal decal for the current year on their registration certificate. All Opticians are required to display their registration certificate in a prominent location in their practice.

Interested in volunteering for the College? View Full Story Minimize

Posted: February 12, 2009 |

Are you passionate about opticianry and want to ensure safe and effective care to the public of British Columbia? Are you passionate about opticianry and want to ensure safe and effective care to the public of British Columbia?

The College is currently looking for potential Committee members. Committees are integral to the work of the COBC in regulating the profession in the public interest. Join one of five available committees: registration, inquiry, quality assurance, discipline, and client relations.

A brief descriptions of the available committees:

Registration - makes assessments and decisions on non-routine registrations and approves routine registrations. 1 in-person meeting annually and bi-weekly correspondence
Inquiry - reviews reports of investigations and considers necessary action to protect the public. 4 in-person meetings annually.
Quality Assurance - Responsible for implementing and maintaining the quality assurance program to ensure competence of College registrants. 4 in-person meetings annually.
Discipline - adjudicates allegations of professional misconduct and/or incompetence referred to it by the Inquiry Committee. 2-3 day hearings per case.
Client Relations - responsible for implementing and maintaining the clients relations program that prevent and address professional misconduct. 4 in-person meetings annually.

Please contact Connie at cchong@cobc.ca or phone 604.278.7510 to indicate your interest and to learn more Committees.

Restricted Activites Regulation (RAR) View Full Story Minimize

Posted: February 12, 2009 |

What are Restricted Activities?
Restricted Activities are a defined list of activities that must not be performed by any person when providing health services.

What are Restricted Activities?
Restricted Activities are a defined list of activities that must not be performed by any person when providing health services. While RAR does not identify the activities that each regulated health profession can perform, the regulation for each health profession does. Therefore opticians will only be able to perform activities identified in the Opticians Regulations.

When will Restricted Activities be added?
On December 12, 2008, the Ministry gave notice of a revised list of proposed restricted activities (to be added to the Health Professions General Regulation).

What is the College of Opticians of BC’s position on Restricted Activities?
The College’s submission to the Government on the draft Reserved Activities Regulation can be found on the College website at www.cobc.ca/Resource_Room.aspx.

How can I comment on the draft Reserved Activities Regulation?
You may wish to comment on the activities that clearly relate to opticians. Responses on the Reserved Activities Regulation are to be submitted to the Ministry of Health by March 12, 2009. If you have any questions, please contact the College office at 604-278-7510.

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Respected Members Retire From College Board View Full Story Minimize

Posted: January 09, 2009 |

Inder Bamrah and David Nelson, both long term members retired from the College Board effective December 31 2008. Respected Members Retire from the College Board Inder Bamrah and David Nelson, both long term members retired from the College Board effective December 31 2008. Both Mr. Bamrah and Nelson are senior members of the Opticians community; their commitment and experience provided a valuable contribution to the College.

Mr. Bamrah born in Kenya received his optician education from the City College in London, England, for many years he operated a successful practice in London. In the early 1990’s he choose to bring his family to Vancouver. Mr. Bamrah has lectured at national opticians conventions and has a lifetime interest in teaching opticianry. He is deeply respected by his colleagues. He continues to practise in Surrey.

Mr. Nelson a Canadian born and educated optician has recently retired from active opticianry practise. Nelson, a specialist in low vision and contact lenses added to his impressive skills by certifying as a refracting optician. The community acknowledges the tremendous amount of time and work that David contributed to his profession.

District 1 Election Results View Full Story Minimize

Posted: July 15, 2009 |

The College of Opticians of British Columbia (COBC) announces that Raheem Savja and Dieter Saxer has been elected to the COBC Board. The College of Opticians of British Columbia (COBC) announces that Raheem Savja and Dieter Saxer, both representing Electoral District 1, have been elected to the COBC Board. Both Raheem Savja and Dieter Saxer's term of office are January 5, 2009 to December 31, 2011.

Click here to view the Certificates of Election.

Devlin Jensen scrutineered the results of the election. Here are the results of the elections for District 1 (Lower Mainland):

Inderjit Bamrah - 73 votes
Katania Law - 23 votes
Chris Lee - 66 votes
Ted Morse - 67 votes
Raheem Savja - 103 votes
Dieter Saxer - 91 votes
Lina Tang - 58 votes
Sheree Watson - 67 votes

A total of 278 electors voted with a total of 548 valid votes cast (maximum 2 candidate choices per elector). There were no rejected ballots.

Need to Register? View Full Story Minimize

Posted: December 19, 2008 |

Congratulations on passing the national exam! The next step is to register with the College of Opticians.
If you've passed the national examination, congratulations! The next step is to register with the College.

Just click here to download a registration package to print.

New Dispensing Opticians: Please complete the entire registration package and mail it back to us. If you need a criminal record check form, please click here.

New Contact Lens Fitters: You should have registered with us as a student contact lens fitter already. Please download the registration package and only print pages 5-7 to complete and fax/mail back to us. You DO NOT have to re-submit the criminal record search, notary declaration or passport photos. You will need to submit proof of professional liability insurance if it expired.

The office will be closed for holidays from December 24, 2008 - January 4, 2009. Please email or leave a voicemail if you have any questions or require a registration package to be mailed to you.

Transition of Optometry to the Health Professions Act View Full Story Minimize

Posted: December 16, 2008 |

On December 12, 2008, the government announced effective dates for the transition of optometry to the Health Professions Act and the repeal of its current statute. On December 12, 2008, the government announced that, effective March 1, 2009, the repeal of the Optometrists Act will be brought into force and the profession of optometry will be designated under the Health Professions Act.

The Ministry gave notice of the final draft of the proposed Optometrists Regulation on December 12, 2008. Comments on the final draft should be submitted to the Ministry by January 12, 2009.

The Board of Examiners gave notice of a revised set of proposed bylaws for the new College of Optometrists on December 12, 2008. Comments on the revised bylaws should be submitted to the Ministry and to the Board of Examiners by January 12, 2009.

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Important Information - PLEASE READ! View Full Story Minimize

Posted: December 03, 2008 |

* Who Does The College Recognize As Professional Providers Of Mandatory Continuing Education?

* Liability Insurance For Renewal Of Registration - Caution!
Who Does The College Recognize As Professional Providers Of Mandatory Continuing Education?

The College of Opticians of British Columbia (COBC) has received questions from members regarding which organizations are recognized by the COBC for the purposes of Continuing Education. The College currently recognises the teaching institutions and two professional organizations: The Opticians Association of Canada and the OBC: Opticians of British Columbia. NO other professional association has approached the COBC to be recognised as a “Professional Provider” of education.

Liability Insurance For Renewal Of Registration - Caution

The COBC cautions members to ensure that any purchase of “Liability Insurance” is sold through a reliable source. The College notes that in previous years members paid for Insurance Polices from an association but found later that the money had not been passed along to the broker and the policies had not been registered. This resulted in a significant numbers of members who were left without coverage without their knowledge.

Board of Directors Elections 2008 View Full Story Minimize

Posted: November 17, 2008 |

An election will be held from November 30, 2008 to December 31, 2008 to elect two candidates to the Board for Electoral District 1 (Lower Mainland). An election will be held from November 30, 2008 to December 31, 2008.

Each year, the registrants of the College of Opticians of British Columbia elect two of their own to the governing Board. This year eight candidates are standing for election to the Board. This is a record number of people who have put their names forward; it bodes well for the future of the profession that so many of its members are willing to serve the public interest in this way.

It is appropriate, as the elections approach, to remind both the candidates and the voting members about the duties of the College and the roles of a Board member. There are a number of worthy sources for this information, from the Health Professions Act (which is the College’s enabling legislation) to a 2004 report from the Ombudsman of British Columbia. The College encourages all opticians to understand the important role the COBC plays as a regulatory body, and how it differs fundamentally from the purposes of a professional association.

A regulatory body is responsible for protecting the public interest and acting in the public interest, while a professional association may advocate to advance the interests of the profession and their businesses. Each member of the board of the regulatory body is bound as a fiduciary -a very high duty that includes subsuming all other interests in favor of the public interest.

The 8 candidates for the Lower Mainland are:
- Bamrah, Inderjit
- Law, Katania
- Lee, Chris
- Morse, Ted
- Savja, Raheem
- Saxer, Dieter
- Tang, Lina
- Watson, Sheree

Click here to read the full version of the profiles each candidate submitted

All registered opticians in good standing from Electoral District 1 may vote. Your ballot must be received by the Registrar no later than 11:59 pm on December 31, 2008. Ballots received after the deadline will not be counted.

Registrants will be notified of the results of the election in January 2009. Terms for the newly elected Board members take effect on January 1, 2009. The members from Electoral District 1 will serve three year terms.

Please contact the College office at 604-278-7510 if you are a registrant from District 1 (Lower Mainland) and did not receive a election package.

Optician Directory Login View Full Story Minimize

Posted: November 06, 2008 |

Attention Registered Opticians! Please login to the site and update your profile to help the public locate their local opticians...click here

NOTE: If you updated your profile prior to Thursday, October 23, 08 please do so AGAIN. The list was recently reset. Sorry for any inconvenience this might have caused.
STEPS TO UPDATE YOUR PROFILE:

1. Go to www.cobc.ca and click “login” in top right-hand corner to go to login portal
2. USERNAME = first letter of given name & last name (e.g. john smith’s username = jsmith)
3. PASSWORD = 4 digit registration id number (e.g. registration id 79 = 0079)
4. On homepage click “find an optician...” OR “Directory”
5. find your name in the opticians directory and click on your individual profile
6. In your profile click “edit profile and settings”
7. Update your business information and don't forget to change your password
8. Click “Save” to update changes

NOTE: If you changed your place of work, you still need to notify the College office in writing.

Please contact Connie Chong at the College office at 604.278.7510 x.24 if you have any questions or problems updating your profile.

Annual General Meeting View Full Story Minimize

Posted: September 30, 2008 |

The College of Opticians of BC Annual General Meeting has been scheduled for Sunday, October 19, 2008 at the Executive Airport Plaza in Richmond, BC. The College of Opticians of BC Annual General Meeting has been scheduled for Sunday, October 19, 2008 from 12:30PM-2:00PM.

It will be held at the Executive Airport Plaza (7311 Westminster Hwy, Richmond, BC). It is free admission for the AGM.

For more info, please call 604-278-7510 or toll free 1-888-771-6755.