The Government of Yukon invites health professionals and the public to share their input on updating the Health Professions Act. The Yukon’s Health Professions Act sets the rules for licensing and overseeing health professionals to ensure they provide safe and high-quality care. This modernization aims to address the Yukon’s unique needs, enhance professional standards and simplify the licensing process under a unified framework.
Targeted consultations with health professionals will focus on effective regulation, while feedback from the public, particularly regarding the complaints process, will help ensure health care is accessible and culturally safe. This input will guide the development of a framework that removes barriers and promotes fair, transparent care for Yukoners.
A summary of the engagement process will be published by spring 2025, with the revised Health Professions Act expected to be tabled in fall 2027.
We're updating the Health Professions Act to better serve Yukoners and strengthen our health care system, and we need input from Yukoners to get it right. This modernization aligns with national efforts to attract and retain health professionals by making the Yukon a more appealing place to live and work. The revised Act will cut red tape, offer greater flexibility for licensing during challenges like pandemics and health workforce shortages, and recognize expanded scopes of practice in diverse health fields ensuring Yukoners have access to the care they need.
Our government is modernizing how health care professionals are licensed and regulated in the Yukon. This work is breaking trail along the path envisioned in our Health Human Resources Strategy and Putting People First, continuing to make improvements to our health care system for both patients and professionals.
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The 13 health professions that the Professional Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Branch of Community Services currently regulates and licenses include:
o licensed practical nurses;
o registered psychiatric nurses;
o midwives;
o pharmacists;
o physiotherapists;
o optometrists;
o chiropractors;
o dental therapists;
o dental hygienists;
o dentists;
o denturists;
o psychologists; and
o physicians (in conjunction with the Yukon Medical Council).
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The Yukon Registered Nurses Association regulates and licenses registered nurses and nurse practitioners.
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The Government of Yukon is continuing its work to regulate social workers.
o The Government of Yukon has met with the Association of Social Workers in Northern Canada to discuss regulating social workers.
o Discussions have focused on the need to modernize the Health Professions Act before adding new professions.
o The government looks forward to working with social workers and the association to understand the requirements for any proposed changes.
The Government of Yukon currently regulates and licenses 13 health professions; some fall under the Health Professions Act and some have their own Acts.
Public engagement opportunities include the following.
- Online survey - Available from January 6 to February 7, 2025, developed in partnership with the Yukon Bureau of Statistics.
- Paper copies of the survey - Accessible at territorial agent offices, community libraries and the Professional Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Office in Whitehorse. Completed surveys can be mailed in self-addressed envelopes, postmarked no later than February 7, 2025.
- In-person public engagement session - Held on January 21, 2025, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre in Whitehorse.
- Online engagement session - Scheduled for January 28, 2025, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. The link to participate will be available at Yukon.ca/engagements.
Laura Seeley
Cabinet Communications
867-332-7627
[email protected]
Taylor Harvey
Community Services
867-332-1237
[email protected]