Further to the response provided to the Member for Yellowknife Centre on
February 5, 2026, the following additional information is provided:
The Department of Health and Social Services' Professional Licensing Office is responsible for the administration of the legislation that governs the registration and licensing of health and social services professionals that are regulated by the Department of Health and Social Services, to ensure public safety through independent, quasi-judicial regulation of health and social services professionals, maintaining statutory obligations and national regulatory standards. The Office manages licensing and regulation for 14 different health professions under 11 separate Acts with 1294 registrants as of February 6, 2026.
The Office is comprised of three positions with statutory appointments: The Registrar and Chief of Profession Regulation, the Deputy Registrar and Senior Licensing Officer, and the Complaints and Regulatory Affairs Officer, and is currently also supported by an Intern, Licensing Officer. The Registrar position is currently filled but was vacant for a short period recently. In the absence of a Registrar, the Deputy Registrar and Complaints and Regulatory Affairs Officer maintained continuity of essential operations and responsibilities for professional licensing and complaints, respectively. Additional senior management support was provided by the Director of Corporate Planning, Reporting and Evaluation.
The Professional Licensing Office publishes disciplinary actions on the Department website. In addition, the public registry of all licensed registrants is available upon request. The registry includes any conditions on practice currently in effect.
Upon application for registration in the Northwest Territories, health professionals are required to submit certificates of standing from all the jurisdictions including international and national jurisdictions, where they have been registered in the past 15 years. Certificates of standing include information on complaints, disciplinary actions, and other disclosures. Additionally, several health professions regulated by the Professional Licensing Office are required to submit a criminal record check or a vulnerable sector check when applying for registration. Upon renewal of registration, health professionals must answer disclosure questions to notify the Office if they have a new complaint, disciplinary action, criminal conviction, etc. If the registrant has a new disclosure, the Professional Licensing Office will assess the situation to determine if they are eligible for renewal.