The College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario |
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Newsletter | December 2023 |
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In this issue…
- Holiday Message and Office Hours
- Updates to Interprovincial Virtual Services
- Elections: Nominations are Open
- Watch: Elections Webinar Recording
- Quality Assurance Update: Annual Learning Plan
- Reminder: Update Your Info
- Tips for Social Media
- Strategic Planning Survey: Key Themes
- Reminder: Bylaw Consultation
- December Poll and November Results
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Important News
Information and Updates
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Best wishes for the holidays from the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario.
Our offices will be closed from December 25, 2023 to January 1, 2024 and will reopen on Tuesday, January 2, 2024 at 8:30am.
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Updates to Virtual Services
Changes affecting British Columbia, Quebec and Saskatchewan
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Recent changes to providing interprovincial virtual services (also known as remote services) will impact occupational therapists registered in Ontario.
Effective December 1, 2023: Occupational therapists registered in Ontario providing virtual services to clients located in British Columbia or Quebec, must be registered in those provinces to provide virtual services.
For clients in Saskatchewan, occupational therapists registered in Ontario must purchase an Extended Access Membership to provide virtual services to Saskatchewan residents.
For clients located in all other provinces, occupational therapists can continue to provide virtual services under their Ontario registration.
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Mark Your Calendar
Reminders and Dates to Remember
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COTO Board Elections
Nominations are now open
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The nominations for upcoming 2024 Board of Directors elections are now open! Eligible OTs in Districts 2 (Central West) and 3 (Central East) should check your inbox for more details! 📧
Review the districts below to see if your area is up for election.
There is one position available in each district.
Electoral District 2 (Central West)
- Includes: counties of Bruce, Grey Elgin, Essex, Huron, Chatham-Kent, Lambton, Middlesex, Oxford, Perth, Brant, Wellington, Dufferin, Haldimand, Norfolk, Hamilton, Halton, Niagara and Waterloo, and the Territorial Districts of Rainy River, Thunder Bay, Kenora, Algoma, Sudbury and Manitoulin.
Electoral District 3 (Central East)
- Includes: York, Durham, Ottawa, Simcoe, Northumberland, Peterborough, Prince Edward, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Prescott and Russell, Renfrew, Hastings, Frontenac, Lennox, and Addington, Lanark, and Leeds and Grenville, and the Territorial Districts of Cochrane, Muskoka, Parry Sound, and Nipissing and Timiskaming.
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College Registrar and CEO Elinor Larney hosted a webinar about the upcoming Board of Directors elections in Districts 2 and 3.
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Quality Assurance Update
2024 Annual Learning Plan
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Please note the 2024 Annual Learning Plan will be available in the spring. Stay tuned for more Quality Assurance program information and updates in the new year! |
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Reminder: Update Your Info |
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Has your registrant profile information changed? In the event of a change, registrants have a responsibility to update the College within 30 days of that change.
All you need to do is login at coto.org and select “ Update Profile.” This is where you can update your
- address,
- email, and
- employment information.
Keeping your information up to date is an important part of maintaining public confidence in occupational therapists.
Remember to update your insurance information when there is a change, whether it is an updated policy or a new insurance provider. Professional liability insurance is a key component of public protection, so the College is required to follow up.
When you maintain your professional liability insurance, you reduce risk for you and your clients.
If you are unsure about a change and whether to update your profile, email us at registration@coto.org with your inquiry and we can assist you. |
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You and Your Practice
Information and Resources
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Tips for Social Media
Top 3 tips from the College
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Social media is a part of our everyday lives, and some OTs—like many people—have a social media presence. As regulated health professionals, OTs hold a position of trust and respect in society. Your personal online presence should also foster trust and mutual respect while maintaining the necessary professionalism.
See our top 3 tips for helping ensure your social media presence maintains the values of the occupational therapy profession.
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Looking for the Standards of Practice and other resources?
Tip: 📑 Bookmark the page for future reference!
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Strategic Planning Survey Themes
Key themes from the registrant and public surveys
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Thank you again to everyone who provided their input in our strategic planning surveys. We appreciate your feedback and participation.
The key themes were:
- Improve the clarity and accessibility of information
- Reinforce the College’s public protection mandate
- Enhance resources for registrants to support the delivery of safe practice
- Ensure that registrants understand the expectations on them
- Consider the health human resource environment
A more detailed look at survey themes is available on our website.
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Reminder: Bylaw Consultation
Provide your comments on our bylaw consultation by December 31
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Reminder: the feedback survey for our proposed bylaw amendments closes on December 31, 2023.
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Connect with Us
Take the latest poll
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December Poll & November Results |
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Earlier this year, we reduced the number of electoral districts from six to three. |
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Did you know your voting district may have changed?
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Yes, I checked to see if my district changed.
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No, I didn't know. I will go check now!
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In November we asked you: Would you be interested in a webinar about our new privacy guidance document?
We received 114 votes and here are the results:
- 80.7% voted "Yes" (92 votes)
- 19.3% voted "No" (22 votes)
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Thank you for your interest! Look out in the new year for webinar announcements.
Review our new resource on
Thank you for participating in our poll!
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Do you know someone who would like to be added to our mailing list?
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Any changes to your profile information in the last 30 days? Make sure you update your profile. |
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DO NOT UNSUBSCRIBE IF YOU ARE A REGISTRANT OF THE COLLEGE.
If registrants unsubscribe, they will be contacted to re-subscribe. The College communicates to occupational therapists by email regarding changes to standards, mandatory registration requirements, public consultations and more. We strive to keep communication relevant and to a minimum.
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