For many occupations, the authority to regulate the 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 a government department.

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 your work. Regulatory bodies have an obligation to ensure public safety and consumer protection as well as to maintain the integrity of the occupation, and each province and territory has the right to adopt the occupational standards they feel 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 you need 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.