Regulatory colleges are legal entities in Canada charged with serving the public interest by regulating the practice of a profession.
Most regulatory colleges are established by an act of parliament instead of through articles of association or incorporation, and usually do not require registration in order to acquire juridical personality.
The legislation that creates a regulatory college is usually provincial rather than federal, since the Canadian constitution makes the regulation of most professional activity a provincial rather than federal area of responsibility.
[2] Misconduct may involve willful malicious acts, but may also include not working to the standard of competence set by the college, or not following an established code of ethics, or infringing upon one of the bylaws maintained by the college.
[3] In addition to investigating misconduct, regulatory colleges have a duty to maintain a public register of members.