Newsletter | January 2026

Important News

Information and Updates

Annual Learning Plan

Your 2026 Annual Learning Plan is now available

The 2026 Annual Learning Plan (ALP) is now available in the COTO Portal.

Get your year started by setting your 2026 goals and focusing on your professional growth. Track your progress throughout the months ahead and report back on them in the Learning Impact section of the ALP.

Read more about your annual Quality Assurance requirements.

Tax Receipts

Access your tax receipts in the COTO Portal

Tax season is around the corner! Registrants can access their tax receipts through the COTO Portal. 

Information about tax receipts from previous years is available on coto.org.

Board Elections in Districts 2 & 3

Nominations open until January 28

Nominations for Board elections close Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at 4pm.

Eligible registrants in District 2 (Central West—Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Niagara, Thunder Bay and surrounding areas) and District 3 (Central East—Ottawa, York Region, Kawartha, North Bay and surrounding areas) have received nomination details via email.📧

Learn why these elections matter and take the opportunity to get involved! Find your district, key dates, and eligibility to run online.

Consultation: Code of Ethics

Share your thoughts and feedback by February 2, 2026.

Have you submitted your feedback on the draft Code of Ethics and the accompanying Guide to the Code of Ethics? Help inform the final versions of these foundational resources.

Consultation survey is available in English and French and closes Monday, February 2, 2026.

Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority

Share with your PSW colleagues

Launched in late 2024, the Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority (HSCPOA) is regulatory body that aims to protect the public through registered personal support worker (PSW) oversight and accountability.

Registration is voluntary and there is currently no cost to become registered and be listed on their public register. We are sharing this information for awareness as occupational therapists work closely with PSWs. More information is available at hscpoa.com.

Updated Guidance on Medical Assistance in Dying

COTO's Updated Practice Guidance on Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD)

The College has updated its Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) practice guidance following the latest recommendations from the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario.

The updated guidance provides an overview of the legislation and how it applies to practice while placing emphasis on addressing and supporting the unique needs of client requesting MAiD.

Learn about the changes and view the revised guidance, available in French and English.

Questions? Contact practice@coto.org or 1-800-890-6570/416-214-1177 ext. 240.

Insights to Support Your Practice

Learn more about key trends in cases

The College analyzes data about cases and uses it to highlight trends and provide insights to registrants that may be helpful in their practice.

We looked at the investigations data from the last six months of 2025 and this is what we found.

Watch: Let's Talk Practice Webinar

Recording of our November 19th webinar is now available on YouTube

A recording of our Let's Talk Practice Webinar to support new occupational therapists and those returning to the profession is now available on the College's YouTube channel.

Topics included documentation and consent, virtual (remote) services, using artificial intelligence (AI) in practice, and more.

Reminder: Guidance on Wheelchair Lap Belts

Response to the Coroner's Report: Death Related to Wheelchair Lap Belt

In case you missed it: We released the College's Response to the Coroner’s Report: Death Related to Wheelchair Lap Belt.

This practice resource is intended to:

• alert occupational therapists to the potential dangers of lap belts
• prevent future deaths and injuries when prescribing a lap belt for clients.
• assist occupational therapists in identifying risks associated with prescribing lap belts and support clinical decision-making.

This guidance is available in both English and French.

Questions? Contact practice@coto.org.

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

The College Board is holding an in-person meeting on Thursday, January 29, 2026. All meetings are open to the public. To register to attend, contact astanier@coto.org.

Board meeting materials are posted on our website before each meeting. Highlights are posted after each meeting. Minutes are posted once approved by the Board.

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.

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.

View past issues of the College's enewsletter in our archive

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