Saskatchewan · Chiropractors’ Association of Saskatchewan
What happens during a CAS investigation?
A CAS investigation is run by a statutory Investigation Committee under section 28 of The Chiropractic Act, 1994, and it ends in a written report with recommendations. The thing to grasp early is that this stage decides whether your matter is closed, resolved informally, or sent to a full Discipline Committee hearing — so how you engage with the investigation shapes everything that follows.
Cooperate, but cooperate carefully Engage fully and on time with the Investigation Committee, but take advice from the CCPA or a regulatory lawyer on what to say and how to say it. Refusing to cooperate is itself treated as unprofessional conduct; so is an unguarded, over-long submission that hands the Committee new problems. Answer what is asked, accurately and completely.
What the Investigation Committee is
The Investigation Committee is constituted under section 28 of The Chiropractic Act, 1994. Its members are appointed by the Board, and at least three of them must be members of the CAS. Critically, no one who sits on the Investigation Committee may also sit on the Discipline Committee — the two stages are kept separate so that the body which investigates is not the body which later judges. The Committee’s job is to review and investigate every complaint alleging professional misconduct or professional incompetence.
How the investigation is triggered
An investigation begins when the Board asks the Committee to consider a complaint, or when the Committee receives a written complaint alleging that a member is guilty of professional misconduct or professional incompetence. For a former member, the Act sets a limit: no proceedings may be commenced more than two years after the person became a former member. Once the Committee is engaged, it acknowledges the complaint to the complainant and notifies you.
What the Committee can look at
The Committee can gather and review documents — most importantly the clinical record — ask you and the complainant for further information, and make the enquiries it needs to reach a view. In Saskatchewan you are required to obtain informed consent in writing, so where consent, examination, or diagnosis is in issue, expect the signed consent form and your contemporaneous notes to be examined closely. Your obligation is to cooperate; failing to respond or to provide records can become a separate ground of misconduct.
Interim protection of the public
Where the allegation is serious and the public may be at risk during the investigation, restrictions can be put in place before any hearing. In one Saskatchewan matter the CAS obtained, with the member’s consent, a court order restricting his practice while the process ran. You will not always face interim measures, but you should understand that the regulator can act to protect patients before the case is finally decided — another reason to take early advice.
How an investigation ends
The Investigation Committee prepares a written report setting out its findings and its recommendations. That report is provided to the Discipline Committee, to the Board, to the complainant, and to you. From here the matter can go one of three broad ways: it is not referred on and effectively closed, it is resolved by agreement between you and the Committee, or it is referred to a hearing before the Discipline Committee. Agreed resolutions increasingly take the form of an agreed statement of facts and a guilty plea, with the Board then imposing an order.
If your matter is resolved by agreement
Where the facts are not really in dispute, an agreed statement of facts and guilty plea can resolve a matter without a contested hearing. Recent CAS orders show what this looks like in practice: agreed conditions such as completing specific courses, meeting for a supervised case discussion, patient-file reviews by the Quality Assurance Committee over several years, fines, and costs — with a licence suspension held in reserve if the conditions are not met. Negotiating this well, with representation, is often the sensible path, but only your adviser can tell you whether it fits your case.
If your matter is referred to a hearing
If the complaint is referred on, the Discipline Committee hears the evidence and decides whether you are guilty of professional misconduct or professional incompetence. Hearings are open to the public unless the Committee excludes the public to protect privacy. The remediation and reflection you can evidence by that stage matters a great deal to the eventual order — the companion guide on remediation explains how to build it.
Key takeaways
- The Investigation Committee is a statutory body under section 28, appointed by the Board, with at least three CAS members.
- No Investigation Committee member may also sit on the Discipline Committee — investigation and judgment are kept separate.
- For former members, no proceedings may start more than two years after they left the register.
- Failing to cooperate or provide records can itself become a ground of professional misconduct.
- The investigation ends in a written report with recommendations to the Discipline Committee, Board, complainant, and member.
- Matters may be closed, resolved by an agreed statement of facts and guilty plea, or referred to a Discipline Committee hearing.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does a CAS investigation take?
There is no fixed statutory period, and the length depends on the complexity of the matter and how much information must be gathered. Serious or contested complaints take considerably longer than straightforward ones.
Do I have to cooperate with the Investigation Committee?
Yes. Cooperation is a professional obligation, and refusing to respond or to provide records can become a separate allegation of professional misconduct. Cooperate fully, but take advice on how to frame your submissions.
Can the CAS restrict my practice before a hearing?
It can act to protect the public during an investigation. In a serious Saskatchewan matter the CAS obtained a court order restricting a member’s practice while the process continued, so interim measures are possible in appropriate cases.
What is an agreed statement of facts and guilty plea?
It is a way of resolving a matter without a contested hearing where the facts are not really in dispute. You admit the conduct on agreed terms, and the Board then makes an order, which may include conditions, courses, fines, and costs.
Who sees the investigation report?
The Investigation Committee’s written report and recommendations go to the Discipline Committee, the Board, the complainant, and you as the member concerned.
Can a complaint be investigated after I stop practising?
Yes, within limits. No proceedings may be commenced against a former member more than two years after the day they became a former member.
This guide is general information about the regulation of chiropractors by the Chiropractors’ Association of Saskatchewan under The Chiropractic Act, 1994. It is not legal advice and does not create a professional relationship. For advice on a specific complaint or investigation, contact the Canadian Chiropractic Protective Association (CCPA) or a regulatory lawyer. Last updated July 15, 2026.