Alberta · College of Chiropractors of Alberta
How to respond to a CCOA complaint
A complaint about your practice goes first to one person at the College of Chiropractors of Alberta — the Complaints Director — and it is that person, not a committee, who decides at the outset whether your matter is resolved informally, sent for investigation, or dismissed. Understanding how the Complaints Director works is the key to responding well.
Who CCOA is, and how a complaint reaches you
The College of Chiropractors of Alberta — formerly the Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors — regulates the profession under the Health Professions Act and the Chiropractors Profession Regulation. You practise as a regulated member holding a practice permit, and the title chiropractor is restricted to the College’s members.
Anyone can raise a concern. Under section 54(1) of the Act a complaint must be in writing and signed, and it goes to the College’s Complaints Director. Being the subject of a complaint does not mean you have done anything wrong; what matters is how you respond.
What the Complaints Director can do
The Complaints Director first considers whether the matter is within the College’s mandate, then chooses how to proceed. The options are direct resolution, an informal route best suited to a single issue; resolve with consent, where you agree to make a change to your practice and the complainant agrees to that approach; a formal investigation; or dismissal, where a complaint is trivial, vexatious, or without merit.
An investigation is used when informal resolution is not appropriate or more information is needed, and it is mandatory for serious allegations of unprofessional conduct. Knowing which route the Complaints Director is weighing helps you pitch your response to keep a matter at the least serious level the facts allow.
What “unprofessional conduct” means
Unprofessional conduct is the standard the Act uses, and it is broad. It can include contravening the Health Professions Act or its regulations, or breaching the CCOA Bylaws, Code of Ethics, or Standards of Practice. A concern that looks minor on the surface — a record-keeping lapse, an advertising issue, a consent gap — can still fall within it, which is why no complaint should be treated as trivial by you, even if it may be by the College.
Your written response
Your response is your best opportunity to shape the route your matter takes. Address each concern separately and factually, set out what happened and what your records show, and give your clinical reasoning without minimising the concern or attacking the complainant.
Enclose the relevant records, meet the deadline in the College’s letter, and ask for an extension in writing before it passes if you need one. Because a well-argued response can discourage a weak matter from going further, it is worth having your protective association or a regulatory lawyer help you draft it.
Records and cooperation
Keep your records to the CCOA record-keeping standards. The College can compel your records during a complaint, and Alberta’s Health Information Act governs how health information is handled and disclosed. Never alter, backdate, or create records after a complaint arrives — doing so turns a defensible matter into a serious one.
You are expected to cooperate with the process, and cooperating does not mean going it alone. You are entitled to be represented, and taking advice is not treated as being uncooperative.
What can happen while your matter is assessed
Where there is a risk to patients, the College can impose interim conditions on your practice permit, or suspend it, while a matter is dealt with. An investigation itself can be intrusive and disruptive to your practice, which is another reason to get expert help early rather than after the fact.
Outcomes, and why they can be public
A complaint may be dismissed, resolved by agreement, or referred to the Hearing Tribunal. One point is easy to overlook: the CCOA publishes records of complaint-outcome decisions. Most remain on the College’s website for ten years, and decisions involving sexual misconduct or abuse remain indefinitely. If the Complaints Director dismisses a complaint, the complainant can ask the College’s Complaint Review Committee to review that decision.
Key takeaways
- Your complaint goes to the Complaints Director, who decides early whether it is resolved informally, investigated, or dismissed.
- CCOA regulates you under the Health Professions Act; you hold a practice permit as a regulated member.
- Contact your protective association — for most Alberta chiropractors, the CCPA — or a regulatory lawyer before you respond. Chiropractors are not covered by the CMPA.
- Answer in writing within the time given, address every concern, and enclose your records.
- Never contact the complainant, and never alter or backdate records.
- CCOA publishes complaint-outcome decisions, so respond carefully even to a matter that may resolve informally.
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Frequently asked questions
Who regulates chiropractors in Alberta?
The College of Chiropractors of Alberta (CCOA), under the Health Professions Act. It was formerly known as the Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors.
Does a complaint have to be in writing?
Yes. Under section 54(1) of the Health Professions Act a complaint must be in writing and signed, and it goes to the College’s Complaints Director.
Do I need a lawyer to respond?
It is not mandatory, but it is strongly advisable. Contact your protective association first — for most Alberta chiropractors, the CCPA — as it supports members through college complaints. You are not covered by the CMPA, which is for physicians.
Can I be stopped from practising during the process?
The College can impose interim conditions on your practice permit, or suspend it, where there is a risk to the public.
Will the complaint be made public?
The CCOA publishes complaint-outcome decisions. Most remain online for ten years, and decisions involving sexual misconduct or abuse remain indefinitely. A complaint dismissed as without merit is not published as a finding against you.
What if the Complaints Director dismisses a complaint I disagree with?
A complainant can ask the College’s Complaint Review Committee to review a decision to dismiss a complaint.
This guide explains how the College of Chiropractors of Alberta (CCOA) handles complaints about chiropractors under the Health Professions Act. It is general information, not legal advice. For advice on your own situation, contact your professional liability protection provider — for most Alberta chiropractors, the Canadian Chiropractic Protective Association (CCPA) — or a lawyer experienced in health-profession regulation in Alberta. Last updated July 15, 2026.