COBC Newsletter  January 2022


Board Meeting | 2022 Fee Update | Annual Renewal

 

Board Meeting

The COBC Board will hold its first meeting of 2022 on Thursday, February 3 at 9:00 AM PT. If you would like to observe the meeting via Zoom, contact Christopher at cdodge@cobc.ca to request a link.
 

 

Updated Fee Schedule

On February 15, fees for the 2022–2023 licensing year will come into effect. There will be a small increase in some licensing fees, to offset costs related to regulatory reform, discipline, and COVID-19.

The new fee schedule also acknowledges that some registration categories are more expensive to regulate than others.

For more information on where your fees go, check out COBC's Audited Financial Statements from 2021.

Below is a comparison of licensing fees for the past year and the coming year.

COBC's current fee schedule—including not only licensing fees, but also fees associated with late payment, reistatement, assessments, and printed documents—can be found on our website. The website will be updated with the new fee schedule on February 15, 2022.

View the current fee schedule

 

Annual Licence Renewal

The annual licence renewal period will begin on February 15 and end March 31. All Licensed Opticians in the province must renew their licensure during this time.

If this is your first renewal period, here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • March 31 is the renewal deadline for everyone, regardless of initial registration date.
     
  • If you don't renew your licence by the deadline, you may be subject to late renewal fees or even suspension.
     
  • The renewal process can be completed 100% online! We'll share a how-to guide early in February.

Not your first renewal? Remember that you can only renew if:

  • Your Continuing Competency Program (CCP) is up to date
    If your cycle end date is still in the future, you're good to go!
    If your cycle has ended, your renewal depends on (a) confirmation of completion of all CCP requirements, or (b) confirmation of a formal extension to complete your goals by an agreed-upon date in the future.
    For more information, contact Christopher at cdodge@cobc.ca.

     
  • Your criminal record check is up to date
    This means either (a) having a current criminal record check clearance letter on file, or (b) having provided COBC with proof that a criminal record check is in progress.
    For more information, or to find out when your current criminal record check expires, contact Madeline at maneufeld@cobc.ca.
 

OAC Connect Webcast 

On Saturday, January 15, the Opticians Association of Canada is hosting its first live webcast of the year.

Read more about the event to see if it might be a good fit for one of your CCP learning goals!

Learn more & register

 

Did you know?

All Licensed Opticians are required to carry professional liability insurance—and for many, that insurance is renewed annually, at the start of the calendar year. You don't have to submit your insurance certificate to COBC each year. Instead, you'll make a "declaration" as part of your renewal application, confirming that you have the appropriate insurance.

College of Opticians of BC operates on the traditional, ancestral and unceded Coast Salish territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.

Unsubscribing from this email will revoke your consent to receive email correspondence from us as outlined in Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). We will no longer be able to send you important reminders pertaining to your licence, which may affect your registration with the College of Opticians of BC. Please contact us if you have any questions.