Alberta · College of Chiropractors of Alberta
What happens during a CCOA investigation?
A CCOA investigation has a specific endpoint built into it: under the Health Professions Act, once an investigation is complete, the matter is referred to the Hearing Tribunal unless it is dismissed as trivial, vexatious, or without merit. So the investigation stage is where a strong, well-evidenced response can keep your matter from ever reaching a hearing.
How an investigation starts
The Complaints Director refers a matter for investigation when informal resolution is not appropriate or when more information is needed to understand the issue. An investigation is mandatory for serious allegations of unprofessional conduct, so a formal investigation is not, in itself, a sign that the College has judged you.
The investigator’s powers
An investigator appointed under the Health Professions Act has broad powers. They can compel you to produce records and documents, and interview you and other witnesses. The process can be intrusive and disruptive to your practice, and Alberta’s Health Information Act governs how health records are handled throughout.
Resisting these powers is not a workable strategy. Meeting them fully, with advice, is — and it is often what allows a matter to be resolved without a hearing.
Your duty to cooperate
You are expected to cooperate with the investigation. Obstructing it, or giving evasive answers, is itself a concern and can be treated as seriously as the matter under investigation. Honesty is central: do not reconstruct or embellish an account, and if something went wrong, say so plainly. You are entitled to be represented, and you should be.
Records and disclosure
You can be compelled to produce records, so keep them to the CCOA record-keeping standards, keep your own copies, and never alter them after the fact. Contemporaneous notes — made at the time of care — carry far more weight than anything written once a complaint has arrived, which is why good day-to-day documentation is your strongest protection long before any investigation.
What the endpoint is
This is the point chiropractors most often miss. When the investigation concludes, the matter is referred to the Hearing Tribunal unless it is dismissed as trivial, vexatious, or without merit. That makes your conduct during the investigation — and the quality of your response — decisive, because it shapes whether the matter is dismissed, resolved by agreement, or sent to a hearing.
Interim measures during the investigation
Where a matter is serious enough that patients may be at risk, the College can impose interim conditions on your practice permit, or suspend it, while the investigation continues. Interim measures affecting your practice can be reflected on the public record.
The Hearing Tribunal, and what follows
The Hearing Tribunal determines the facts, whether the conduct amounts to unprofessional conduct, and any sanction — which can range from a caution or reprimand to conditions on your practice permit, a remedial course of study, a fine, costs, suspension, or cancellation of your registration. Its decisions are published. A Hearing Tribunal decision can be appealed to the College’s Council, and from Council to the Court of Appeal of Alberta. Where there is a reasonable belief that a criminal offence has occurred, the tribunal must forward its decision to the Minister of Justice.
Key takeaways
- Under the Health Professions Act, a completed CCOA investigation is referred to the Hearing Tribunal unless it is dismissed as trivial, vexatious, or without merit.
- Investigators can compel your records and documents and interview you; the process can be intrusive.
- Cooperate honestly and never alter records — and involve your protective association or a lawyer early.
- Keep records to CCOA standards; contemporaneous notes carry the weight.
- The College can impose interim conditions on, or suspend, your practice permit during the investigation.
- Hearing Tribunal decisions are published and can be appealed to Council and then the Court of Appeal of Alberta.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Complaints Director and the Hearing Tribunal?
The Complaints Director handles intake and can resolve, investigate, or dismiss a matter. The Hearing Tribunal holds the discipline hearing and decides whether conduct is unprofessional and what sanction applies.
Can the College compel my records?
Yes. An investigator appointed under the Health Professions Act can compel you to produce records and documents and can interview you.
What happens when the investigation finishes?
Unless the matter is dismissed as trivial, vexatious, or without merit, it is referred to the Hearing Tribunal.
Do I have to cooperate with the investigator?
Yes. Cooperation is expected, and obstruction can itself be a concern. Take advice on how to respond and be represented.
Can I keep practising during the investigation?
Usually yes, unless the College imposes interim conditions on your practice permit or suspends it.
Can I appeal a Hearing Tribunal decision?
Yes. You can appeal to the College’s Council, and from Council to the Court of Appeal of Alberta.
This guide explains how the College of Chiropractors of Alberta (CCOA) handles investigation 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.