Newsletter | February 2025

Quality Assurance Learning Plan

Podcast & Resource: Mapping a Path to Success - Goal Setting Made Simple

Learning plans are now available in the COTO Portal. Setting meaningful goals in your learning plan can help you grow as an occupational therapist and improve client outcomes. Listen to our latest podcast episode on YouTube or Spotify where we explore why goal setting matters, share real examples from OTs, and discuss practical strategies to make goal setting easier.

Annual Renewal Opens April 1

What's new for 2025

Annual registration renewal will open on April 1, 2025 and may look a bit different this year, as you will notice additional, optional questions related to sociodemographic information.

These new questions are about racialized group identity and are structured according to the data set created by the Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI). Anonymous, aggregate data will be shared with CIHI to assist with their development of the profile of Canadian occupational therapists. Please note: Participation is voluntary.

Learn more about the use of data and view our FAQ.

Annual Registration Fee

At the January meeting, the Board of Directors approved a 2% increase to registration fees for the upcoming 2025/2026 annual renewal period.The registration renewal fee for the 2025/2026 registration year will be $773.17 (including HST). This represents a $15.17 increase from last year.

Questions about College fees and how they are used? View the fee breakdown and further info on our dedicated page.

Note: In 2024, following public consultation, the Board approved the proposed amendments to Part 18 of the College bylaws with the intention of making any fee increases for the next five years as predictable as possible. The bylaw requires the Board to review fees each year and holds any fee increase to a maximum of 2% per year for this five-year period.

New Reportable Disease: C. Auris

As of January 1, 2025, Candida Auris (C. auris) is now a reportable disease of public health significance under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, 1990 (HPPA).

View the Ministry of Health’s C. auris appendix to support this update: Candida Auris Case Definition and Disease Specific Information.

Occupational therapists are encouraged to review the document and be aware of the prevention and control measures.

Board Elections in District 1

Reminder: Voting open until March 10, 2025 at 2 pm

Voting for the 2025 Board of Directors elections is now open!

All eligible occupational therapists in District 1 (Central - includes Toronto and Peel) should have received a secure online ballot from Big Pulse electronic voting system to cast their vote for two vacancies.

We are extending the voting period. Voting closes Monday, March 10, 2025 at 2 pm.

Reminder: Health Privacy Breaches

Submit your health privacy breach reports to the IPC by March 3, 2025

Reminder to health information custodians: the deadline to submit your 2024 health privacy breach report to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) is Monday, March 3, 2025. 

By law, health information custodians that have experienced at least one health privacy breach during 2024 are required to report through the IPC’s online submission website.

Not sure if you are a health information custodian? Check our guidance on Privacy Legislation and Occupational Therapy Practice.

Questions? Email statistics.ipc@ipc.on.ca or call 1-416-326-3333

Tax Receipts

Access your tax receipts in the COTO Portal

Tax season is around the corner! Remember: registrants can access their tax receipts through the COTO Portal. Log in and select 'Print Receipt' to download your document.

3 Ways to Access Resources

Quick paths to find what you need

Practice resources are always popular items on coto.org. Here are 3 ways to quickly access these resources on the COTO website:

1. See our Practice Standards and Guidance page.
2. Visit the Resource Hub to filter resources by topic, type or audience.
3. Use our site-wide Search to search the entire website.

Case of the Month

Maintaining Professional Boundaries

At some point in every occupational therapist’s career, the issue of a professional boundary crossing with a client will come up.

Boundary crossings may be small to start, but if not managed effectively, they can affect the OT's ability to provide safe and ethical service and lead to a boundary violation.

See our latest case study for information and examples.

Calling All Employers

Sign up for our employer newsletter

Do you employ occupational therapists? We invite you to sign up for our upcoming dedicated employer newsletter. Know someone who might be interested? Please share the sign up link.

Looking for the Standards of Practice and other resources?



Resources are available here: Practice Standards and Guidance

Tip: 📑 Bookmark the page for future reference!

January Board Meeting Highlights

The College Board held a meeting on January 30, 2025. View the key decisions in the highlights from the meeting.



All Board meetings are open to the public. Meeting dates and materials are posted online.

Connect with Us

February Poll and January Results

Our latest episode on Goal Setting Made Simple kicks off our refreshed COTO on Topic podcast. Let us know your thoughts on this method for sharing information!

Thank you for participating in our poll.

Listen to our latest podcast on Mapping a Path to Success: Goal Setting Made Simple

In January, we asked registrants if they were planning to access their Learning Plans in the COTO Portal and set their goals early.

We received 133 votes and here's how you voted:

• 11.3% said "Yes, I'm signing in now!" (15 votes)
• 18% said "Certainly before spring." (24 votes)
• 52.6% said "Likely in the next few weeks." (70 votes)
• 18% said "I am definitely setting goals earlier this year." (24 votes)

Questions? Contact qaprogram@coto.org.

Do you know someone who would like to be added to our mailing list?

They can sign up here. Have additional comments or suggestions for the College email news? Send your thoughts to communications@coto.org.

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