Election Process

All relevant information is contained on the College's website and in the Election documents below:

1. Director Profile
2. Board Policies
3. College’s By-Law

The application form can be found on the College's Recruitment Page.

The College recommends that new application forms and documents are submitted each year reflecting how the applicant’s expertise aligns with the core competencies identified in that year’s Director Profile requirement.

Most meetings are virtual or hybrid. However, the Board meetings which take place at least 4 times a year are in-person meetings.

The Director Profile states the eligibility requirement for standing for election. It provides that a Registrant who holds a valid Certificate of Registration and lives and/or works in Ontario is eligible to seek to be a candidate for election to the Board if they meet the following eligibilities:

• Registrant is not in default of payment of any fees prescribed in the by-laws.
• Registrant is not the subject of any disciplinary or incapacity proceeding.
• Registrant has not been found to have committed an act of professional misconduct or to be incompetent by a panel of the Discipline Committee.
• Registrant is not a registered pharmacy student or intern.
• Registrant’s Certificate of Registration is not subject to a term, condition, or limitation other than one prescribed by regulation.
• Registrant is not and has not, within the three (3) years immediately preceding the election, been an employee, officer, or director of a Professional Advocacy Association.
• Registrant has not been disqualified from serving on the Board or a Committee within the six (6) years immediately preceding the election.
• Where the Registrant has served two (2) consecutive, three (3) year terms for a total of six (6) years, it has been at least three (3) years since they were a Director. (Some exceptions apply*)
  *Registrants elected prior to 2020 who have served continuously since that time are eligible to complete three (3) consecutive, three (3) year terms for a total of nine (9) years.
• Registrant is not an adverse party in litigation against the College, the Board, a Committee or any of the College’s officers, employees or agents.
• Registrant commits to devoting sufficient time in their schedule to participating in all required Board and Committee activities.
• Registrant has not, in the opinion of the Screening Committee, engaged in conduct unbecoming a Director.
• Registrant is not the Owner or Designated Manager of a pharmacy that, within the six (6) years immediately preceding the election, has undergone a re-inspection, as a result of deficiencies noted in an initial inspection, for a third time or more after the initial inspection.

External governance consultants will conduct a short-listing for submission to the Screening Committee which would select the candidates qualified to seek election to the Board of Directors.

If you have questions, you may contact the College at [email protected].

Every Registrant who holds a valid Certificate of Registration as a pharmacist or a pharmacy technician, who practises or resides in Ontario, and who is not in default of payment of the annual fee, is entitled to vote in an election of Directors.

The Board comprises elected pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, members of the public who are appointed by the provincial government, and academic appointees. Together, they share a duty to serve and protect the public interest. 

At a high level, the Board approves policy, sets annual fees, sets the vision and strategic direction for the College, chooses the Registrar and CEO, and provides oversight for the College to ensure operations comply with Board direction. The Board’s primary role is to ensure that the interests of the public are protected.

The total time commitment will vary depending on the level of involvement on committees and interested applicants should be prepared to serve between 15 and 30 days per year. Elected Board Directors will be appointed to serve on the Discipline Committee as required by the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) and may also be considered for appointment to other committees of the Board.

Board meetings are generally held four times a year at the College’s office in Toronto. These public meetings are held in March, June, September and December, and are usually one or one-and-a-half days in duration. 

No. While the skills on the Director Profile must be present on the Board, they are not all required for every Board Director. The intent is to ensure the Board comprises a collection of individuals who bring different strengths to the table. Having any of the experience or core competencies identified in the Director Profile is an asset, but they are not all required for applying.

The College's competency-based Board has put added emphasis on equity, diversity and inclusion, and we are focused on attracting qualified candidates with competence in financial oversight who are from diverse populations, marginalized groups or individuals with disabilities, or those who have experience working with these groups.

As the regulator of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in Ontario, the Board’s role is to serve and protect the public interest and to hold pharmacy professionals accountable to relevant laws, regulations, standards of practice, policies, guidance and the Code of Ethics. The Board is accountable to the public and does not represent or advocate for pharmacy professionals. That is the role of pharmacy associations.