Psychological Services in Ontario:
Some Changes are too Risky to Rush
Safe, Accountable Care for Ontarians
Ontario, like the rest of Canada, faces growing mental health needs — and Ontarians deserve psychological care that is safe, skilled, and trusted.
We are deeply concerned about the recent changes approved by the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario (CPBAO) to licensing and minimum training requirements. These sweeping reforms are too risky to rush and threaten to undermine the safety, quality, and integrity of psychological care that Ontarians rely on.
The CPBAO’s mandate is to protect the public’s interest to ensure that Ontarians receive competent and ethical professional psychological services from qualified providers. These changes will do the opposite. We are asking the CPBAO to stop and reconsider the harm that could result from these changes. We are ready to work together with the CPBAO to find real solutions to improve psychological care in Ontario, without risking the safety of the people who have entrusted us with something so important – their mental health.
If safe and effective mental health care matters to you and your loved ones, join us in demanding that the CPBAO and Ministry of Health stop these changes before it is too late.
What's at Risk
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75% reduction in training – losing thousands of hours of hands-on clinical experience and formal training, making Ontario psychologists among the least trained in the country.
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Loss of oversight and accountability –abandoning long-standing national accreditation standards and external quality oversight, for CPBAO-controlled program approval.
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Removing exam safeguards – Two of three licensing exams will be eliminated, and the remaining exam can be taken unlimited times.
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Self-declared specializations – Psychologists could declare specialties (e.g., neuropsychology, child psychology, legal contexts) without proof of skill, leaving the public uncertain about who is qualified.
Why This Matters
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Psychologists are experts in psychological assessment and diagnosis. Less training, supervision, and examinations could lead to a higher chance of vulnerable people receiving the wrong diagnosis.
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Receiving the wrong diagnosis could mean that you are offered the wrong treatment, and the wrong treatment can cause long-lasting harm.
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Mistakes made by psychologists can have serious consequences in schools, courts, and at work.
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These changes will not make it easier or more affordable for Ontarians to find a psychologist
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These changes could end up costing the province more in added healthcare costs.
PAN Survey Results
The Psychology Advocacy Network polled 1,275 Ontario psychologists, psychological associates, students and trainees about their views on the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario’s (CPBAO) proposed amendments.
Download full report here.
