For many occupations, the authority to regulate an occupation has been delegated from the province or territory to a non-governmental regulatory body such as a self-regulating “College”, a professional “Order” or similar organization or association. In some instances, occupations are regulated directly by federal/provincial/territorial government departments.
Regulatory bodies can also be referred to as regulatory authorities or simply as regulators.

A regulatory body is responsible by law for defining what can and cannot be done as part of a regulated occupation. Regulatory bodies have an obligation to ensure public safety and consumer protection as well as to maintain the integrity of the occupation. Each province and territory has the right to adopt the occupational standards it feels appropriate to protect the public interest.

Regulatory bodies determine occupational standards for both entry to practice as well as post certification requirements. This means that the regulatory body will determine what a certified worker needs in terms of knowledge, skills and abilities to be able to practice a specific occupation. The responsibilities of a regulatory body are set in provincial/territorial legislation.