If the Registrar proposes to refuse to issue a certificate of registration to you, the Registrar will inform you in writing and provide reasons with the Registrar’s proposal. You will receive a full refund of the registration fee, if applicable.
In the covering letter of the Registrar’s proposal, you will be informed that you may:
- Request a review of the Registrar’s proposal to refuse to issue a certificate of registration within 60 days of receipt of the Registrar’s proposal; OR
- Do nothing. In this case, the Registrar carries out the proposal.
If you request a review of the Registrar’s proposal to refuse to issue a certificate of registration to you, the review of the Registrar’s proposal is conducted by the Registration Appeals Committee. The Committee meets regularly to consider requests for review.
In extremely rare circumstances, the Registration Appeals Committee can decide to refuse to conduct a review of the Registrar’s proposal to 1) refuse to issue a certificate of registration or 2) impose terms, conditions or limitations to which you have not consented on a certificate of registration to be issued. The Registration Appeals Committee will do so only if, in its opinion, your request for review is frivolous, vexatious or an abuse of process. The terms “frivolous”, “vexatious”, and “abuse of process” are legal words describing requests for review that are, for example, lacking in substance and seriousness, where there is no reasonable prospect of success, and/or where the request for a review is meant to annoy, harass, embarrass or abuse the process of the Registration Appeals Committee. It should be noted that, to date, the Registration Appeals Committee has not refused to conduct a review on this basis.
Typically, the Committee reviews requests from applicants in the order in which they are received. This means that it may take several months before the Committee begins the review of your request. The length of time it takes for the Committee to render a decision depends on the unique circumstances of each individual’s application, additional information submitted on the review, and the Registrar’s proposal.
As set out in the Social Work and Social Service Work Act, 1998 the Committee need not hold a hearing or afford to any person an opportunity for a hearing. Consequently, it is not the practice of the Committee to meet with applicants. The Committee relies on the documents submitted by the applicant in order to make its determination.
If you wish to request a review of the Registrar’s proposal, you must make your request with reasons, in writing, within 60 days of the date of the Registrar’s proposal. You should include written submissions with your request. Please note that you may request a review whether or not you intend to submit further information. The Committee will consider the documentation already provided with your application, and your new submissions, if any.
No fees are required to request a review. Upon receipt of your request, a letter will be forwarded to you, acknowledging receipt. If your request is not received at the College by the date specified in the Registrar’s letter to you, the Committee has the authority to extend the time for requesting a review if it is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for applying for the extension. Accordingly, the Committee may ask you to provide written reasons why the request for review was not received on or before the deadline. The Committee will consider your request for an extension and inform you of its decision in writing.
The Review Process
Upon receipt of the Registrar’s proposal, please review it carefully in order to understand the reasons that the Registrar has determined that you have not met the requirements for registration. The Committee encourages you to provide written submissions that address these reasons.
Before the Committee begins to review your file, you will receive a copy of all the documents that the Committee intends to consider in making its decision. You are afforded 30 days to examine and make written submissions on these documents.
Once the review has begun, the Committee may, during the course of its review, determine that it requires more information from you or a third party on your behalf. If this happens, the Committee will adjourn the review and direct College staff, who support the Committee, to inform you in writing of the request for additional information. Typically, the Committee stipulates the time frame within which it wishes to receive additional information.
If additional information and documents are received from an independent third party to whom you have asked to make submissions, the Committee provides you with copies of these documents. You are afforded an additional 30 days to examine and make written submissions on any new information that the Committee will be considering.
Once the Committee has reviewed your request, the submissions, and any documents that the Committee determines to be relevant, the Committee may make an order to do one or more of the following:
- Direct the Registrar to issue the appropriate certificate of registration.
- Direct the Registrar to issue the appropriate certificate of registration and to make it subject to specified terms, conditions or limitations.
- Direct the Registrar to vary specified terms, conditions or limitations in the Registrar’s proposal.
- Direct the Registrar to refuse to issue a certificate of registration.
The Committee provides its decision with reasons in writing to the Registrar, after considering the request for review. A copy of the decision and reasons is also forwarded to you. The written decisions are detailed and address all areas that the Committee has considered.
You may contact College staff with questions or concerns any time during the review process.
An appeal of the decision or order of the Registration Appeals Committee may be made to the provincial Divisional Court in accordance with the rules of the court.
Please contact the College at 416-972-9882 or toll free 1-877-828-9380 or email Registration if you have any questions about the registration appeals process.