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Consultation 2026: BYLAW - Bylaw amendment relating to Criminal Record Checks

CONSULTATION SURVEY


Introduction

The CPSS Council recently approved in principle an amendment to CPSS regulatory bylaw 2.3(d) to require the collection of Criminal Record Checks (CRC) as part of the registration and licensure process. The Council also approved in principle a proposed registration policy entitled “Requirements for Criminal Record Checks.”
Background

At its meeting in late August, the CPSS Registration Committee considered information including the following:
  • In late 2024 after a review by the Committee on Medical Licensing in Canada (CMLC), the board of the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada (FMRAC) endorsed requesting a Level II Enhanced CRC on initial licensure.
  • An environmental scan conducted in the summer of 2026 revealed that the CPSS, together with the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, are the only Canadian jurisdictions yet to require a CRC on initial application.
  • The CPSS currently has no bylaw or policy that requires CRCs to be collected for licensure purposes.
The Registration Committee supported a bylaw amendment to require the collection of a CRC as part of the registration and licensure process, and also adopted recommendations that were presented to the Council at its September 25, 2026 meeting.

At its meeting, the Council approved in principle an amendment to bylaw 2.3(d) to require a CRC, and also approved in principle a proposed registration policy entitled “Requirements for Criminal Record Checks” that incorporated the Registration Committee’s recommendations. This is not a formal Council policy, but a document that will be published on the Licensure Requirements section of the website to help inform applicants.

Pursuant to the amended bylaw and policy, all applicants for initial licensure (including medical students, residents, physician assistant students, physicians and physician assistants) will be required to provide a CRC, dated within 6 months from the date of the application to the CPSS, from the jurisdiction where the applicant resides and from each other jurisdiction where the applicant is currently registered or licensed to practise medicine or another health profession. For international applicants, this includes the requirement to provide a CRC from each jurisdiction outside of Canada where they are currently registered to practise medicine. In addition to initial application, a CRC will also be required on an application for reinstatement, for example following revocation of licensure.
Consultation Request

The Council would like to hear from you. We anticipate that the Council will consider feedback from interested parties, including members of the profession, at its meeting on Friday, November 27, 2026. If you have concerns with the proposed amended bylaw 2.3(d) or the Requirements for Criminal Record Checks policy, it would be helpful if you please explain the reasons for those concerns.
How to Respond


In order for the College to consider feedback and correlate feedback for the Council in time for the next Council meeting, all feedback should be provided to the College no later than Monday, November 9, 2026.


1. Click on the links below to see the proposed Bylaw amendments and Policy.

2. Complete the survey linked below. Alternatively, feedback can be provided to communications@cps.sk.ca.