4th anniversary as a Regulatory College
December 1, 2025, marked four years since the College of Chiropractors of Alberta (CCOA), theccoa.ca, formed as the chiropractic regulatory body focused on serving and protecting the public interest.
Upon the anniversary, Council approved the CCOA’s 4th Annual Report to Government, including the audited financial statements. The report has been shared with the Minister of Primary and Preventative Health, as per the Health Professions Act requirements, who will present it in the legislature. The report is available on theccoa.ca under About > College of Chiropractors of Alberta > Annual Reports.
A great deal has been accomplished over the last four years, guided by the 2022-2027 Strategic Plan. For a recap of key accomplishments, click here.
Note of Caution - High volume of complaints and rising costs
As noted in the annual report (see pages 18-21), CCOA continues to manage a high volume of complaints, with rising costs and complexity in managing complaints. Professional conduct (complaints and discipline proceedings) cost $532,414 in 2025. This is an increase of $117,375 from 2024. These figures do not include the cost of staffing, which has tripled in the Professional Conduct department in the last three years, due to volume and complexity.
Based on the record number of complaints, with a troubling high percentage being sexual abuse and misconduct, Council expects 2026’s conduct costs to be even higher. Regulators are funded 100% by professional dues. The cost of unprofessional conduct is paid by the profession both monetarily and reputationally.
What you can do: Along with the privilege of being a regulated health professional comes an expectation of accountability. When chiropractors take responsibility for their actions, seek to understand the complainant’s perspective and acknowledge the impact on them, show a desire to learn and improve, outcomes benefit all involved. In these cases, a remedial approach to complaint resolution can be used. A remedial approach will highlight opportunities for the chiropractor to learn and improve their practice, which increases public trust. It is also significantly less expensive for the individual chiropractor and the professional overall. When there is lack of accountability, a remedial approach cannot be used, resulting in increased costs for everyone and erosion of the reputation of the profession.
If you see something, say something. If you witness a colleague not following standards, try having a conversation with them. Offer them support in understanding and following ethical standards. (Of course, if the unprofessional conduct is egregious, you should report it to the College. As well, remember that health professionals have a legislated duty to report suspected sexual abuse or misconduct, including dating patients.)
Contact Council through CCOA Council email only
A reminder to maintain professional boundaries
Regulated Chiropractors are reminded to maintain a professional boundary by not sending emails to individual Council members. To reach Council, please email council@theccoa.ca. To reach a specific Council member, add their name in the subject line.
Council members also cannot discuss any ongoing complaints activity. These measures ensure Council remains an impartial body as part of any reviews, appeals or hearings.
Property Sale Report coming in the New Year
The property and building formerly owned by the College of Chiropractors of Alberta (CCOA) has officially been sold. Council extends its sincere thanks to staff for their exceptional efforts in ensuring a smooth transition and seamless move-out.
As outlined in the November Public Interest Alignment, details on how the proceeds from the sale will be allocated will be shared with the profession in the new year, once all administrative and financial processes are complete. The notice will include:
A full audit of the sale, commissioned by CCOA and conducted by an external auditor.
A breakdown of how funds will be allocated in alignment with Council’s commitments.
For background information on the property sale, including Frequently Asked Questions, please refer to the July 2024 Notice to CCOA Registrants.
CCOA's new mailing address
CCOA’s new mailing address is:
College of Chiropractors of Alberta (CCOA)
PO Box 83016
Edmonton RPO Webber Greens, AB T5T 6S1
The PO Box can receive regular and registered mail and legal document service. All other contact methods remain unchanged. To reach CCOA, please visit Contact Us.
Clearing up confusion about the difference between the college and the association
In December 2021, the Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors (ACAC) split into two separate organizations: the College of Chiropractors of Alberta (CCOA) and the Chiropractic Association of Alberta (CAA). This occurred because Bill 46 amendments to the HPA enacted in December 2020 directed that one organization could not serve both the public interest and the interest of health care professionals, like chiropractors.
What are the differences between the college and the association?
