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ATCMA Leadership Meets with Ministry of Health: Positive Discussions About TCM Regulations and Scope of Practice
We're pleased to share an update on ATCMA's recent productive meeting with the Ministry of Health regarding Traditional Chinese Medicine regulations and scope of practice developments in British Columbia.
HPOA Implementation: What to Know Before April 1
With the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) coming into effect on April 1, 2026, regulatory changes will impact multiple health professions across British Columbia. To help ensure practitioners feel informed, prepared, and confident, the ATCMA is joining forces with our colleagues in the naturopathic, RMT, and chiropractic professions for a collaborative webinar. Attendance is limited to ATCMA members.
Mandatory Professional Liability insurance limit increase to $5M by Apr. 1, 2026
With the implementation of the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) on April 1, 2026, all Traditional Chinese Medicine professionals in British Columbia will be required to carry a minimum of $5 million in Professional Liability insurance. We encourage you to review your current coverage and take steps now to ensure your policy meets the new requirement ahead of the deadline.
Root, Branch, and the Future of Our Profession: A TCM Lens on Advocacy
Change can feel unsettling, especially when it affects the heart of how we practice. In this blog, ATCMA looks at today’s regulatory challenges through the lens of Traditional Chinese Medicine, using familiar principles like root and branch, interconnected systems, adaptability, and patience to explain how we’re advocating for the profession. From scope of practice and public safety to the long-term future of TCM in British Columbia, this piece offers insight into why this work matters and how thoughtful, sustained advocacy helps ensure our medicine continues to grow and thrive.
How Advocacy Works: Why Some of Our Work Happens Behind the Scenes
Advocacy is rarely as simple--or as fast--as any of us would like. As a professional association, ATCMA understands the frustration many in our community feel when change is happening around us and information seems limited. We want to take this opportunity to explain how advocacy work actually unfolds, why some conversations cannot be shared publicly in real time, and how ATCMA has been working consistently and strategically on behalf of the profession.
How to Connect with Your MLA About the Impacts of the HPOA on the TCM Profession
British Columbia’s health-regulation landscape is undergoing a historic shift. With the new HPOA, the Complementary Health Professions Regulation, the CCHPBC Bylaws, and the new CCHPBC Professional Standards, the entire framework governing TCM and acupuncture practice is being re-written.
ATCMA has serious concerns about several impacts on Traditional Chinese Medicine. These issues affect not only practitioners, but also patient access, cultural continuity, and the integrity of TCM as a distinct profession.
This is a crucial moment for TCM professionals to engage. Read on to learn what you can do!
FAQs about HPOA
On November 12, 2025, the British Columbia Naturopathic Doctors (BCND), the British Columbia Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Practitioners (ATCMA), the British Columbia Chiropractic Association (BCCA), and the Registered Massage Therapists Association of British Columbia (RMTBC) co-hosted a webinar to address key questions about the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA).
The session centred on implementation of the Act and its implications for practice. The following FAQs summarize the main question themes raised during that webinar. A HUGE thank you to the BCND for providing this information and to the RMTBC for providing your lawyer for the webinar.
Have You Been Internationally Trained or Recently Licensed? CCHPBC Wants Your Input
The College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC (CCHPBC) is seeking valuable feedback from those who know the licensing process best — internationally trained practitioners, recent graduates, and newly licensed professionals.
If you’ve navigated the path to licensure in B.C., your experience matters. CCHPBC is collecting insights to better understand the current landscape of substantial equivalency
Upcoming Webinar: Your Questions on the HPOA
The British Columbia Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Practitioners (ATCMA), the British Columbia Chiropractic Association (BCCA), the Registered Massage Therapists Association of British Columbia (RMTBC), and the British Columbia Naturopathic Doctors (BCND) invite you to a joint webinar to be held on Wednesday, November 12, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM (Pacific Time). Please note, login details will be shared closer to the event.