About CPSA committees
CPSA is guided by several committees made up of regulated members, Albertans and other healthcare partners who share a passion for patient safety and high-quality health care.
Our governance structure guides the decision-making of CPSA’s committees, to ensure decisions are made effectively and are aligned with our mandate: to protect the public by ensuring high-quality patient care.
Council committees
There are three types of committees that provide advice and recommendations to CPSA’s Council.
Standing committees
Comprised of members of Council and other members as needed, these committees bring experience and expertise to Council’s decisions.
Council Executive
Council Executive sets the agenda for Council meetings, meets regularly with CPSA’s Registrar (conducting a formal job performance appraisal at the end of the year) and attends to other matters requiring attention between Council meetings.
Review the Executive Committee’s terms of reference to find out more.
2025 CPSA Council Executive
Council Chair –Nicole Cardinal
Council Vice-Chair –Daisy Fung
Member-at-Large –Rhonda Laboucan
Governance
The Governance Committee ensures compliance with applicable regulations and practices, plans and promotes learning opportunities for Council members to enhance effectiveness, and develops recommendations for appointments to Committees.
Read the Governance Committee’s terms of reference to find out more.
Finance & Audit
The Finance & Audit Committee (FAC) deals with issues related to CPSA’s financial governance, such as the annual budget, investment portfolio and pension statements.
Priority committees
These committees include Council members, regulated members and other members as required, to advise on issues relating directly to CPSA’s strategic plan.
Anti-Racism Anti-Discrimination Action Advisory Committee
The Anti-Racism Anti-Discrimination Action Advisory Committee (ARADAAC) provides advice on how CPSA can action and influence change, to disrupt racism and discrimination within CPSA as an organization and within the health profession.
Indigenous Advisory Circle
As Alberta’s medical regulator, we play an important role in reconciliation, which includes responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action, particularly those actions that relate to health.
The Indigenous Advisory Circle, established by CPSA Council in December 2021, focuses on listening to and learning from those with lived Indigenous experiences across Alberta. Through collaboration and creating a safe space to share these experiences and ideas, the Circle helps CPSA reflect on our own processes and identify how we can better support Indigenous patients and better guide the physicians who care for them.
Adhoc committees or sub-committees
These committees can be established by Council as needed to focus on specific priorities. They typically include Council members, but other members can be brought on if required.
Building Fund Initiatives Working Group
Following Council’s approval of allocating $5 million from the Building Fund Reserve to the CPSA Healthier Albertan Grant, the Building Fund Initiatives Working Group (Working Group) has been tasked with reviewing applications against approved decision criteria, monitoring the effectiveness and efficiency of the CPSA Heathier Albertan Grant process and providing regular updates to Council.
Working Group membership composition is intended to reflect diverse experiences and backgrounds from across the province, including but not limited to:
- Experience in medicine and/or a social science or health-related field
- Granting experience
- Indigenous representation
- Geographic representation (urban or rural)
- Involvement with community organizations
- CPSA Council representation
- Underserved community and/or groups representation (e.g.: racialized groups)
The Working Group is an ad hoc committee of Council for a period and frequency to be determined by Council until the funding for the CPSA Healthier Albertan Grant has been distributed.
Read the Building Fund Initiatives Working Group’s terms of reference to find out more.
Statutory committees
Statutory committees are required under the Health Professions Act (HPA), to make decisions and provide advice and recommendations to CPSA within their areas of expertise. Council members do not sit on these committees, members are appointed by the Registrar and must include at least two members of the public.
Competence Committee
Under the Health Professions Act (HPA), the Competence Committee makes recommendations to Council about CPSA’s quality improvement and assurance programs, which include general assessments, continuous professional development and competence assessments. Committee members provide direction and guidance on the development, implementation and evaluation of these programs.
Review the committee’s terms of reference to find out more.
Medical Facility Accreditation Committee (MFAC)
Under the Health Professions Act, the Medical Facility Accreditation Committee (MFAC) oversees the work of the other advisory committees and advises Council on policy. MFAC’s lens of Albertan accountability helps us keep our standards consistent.
Interested in the fine-print? Check out our MFAC Terms of Reference.
Advisory, operational and sub-committees
These committees work with statutory committees and other CPSA departments as needed, to advise on and assist with committee and business functions:
Diagnostic Imaging Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee on Diagnostic Imaging (ACDI) oversees CPSA’s diagnostic imaging accreditation program. The 10 voting members—field experts including radiologists and cardiologists—help us develop and maintain standards for diagnostic imaging facilities. The committee also advises MFAC on decisions about DI services.
Interested in the fine print? Check out our ACDI Terms of Reference.
Infection Prevention & Control (IPAC) Advisory Committee
CPSA works with a multi-disciplinary team of provincial infection prevention and control (IPAC) experts and practising physicians to develop our IPAC and medical device reprocessing (MDR) standards. They direct and advise the program on preventing the transmission of infectious disease in medical clinics and ensure consistency with the expectations of the Provincial Medical Officer of Health.
Laboratory Medicine Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee on Laboratory Medicine (ACLM) oversees CPSA’s lab accreditation program. Our 9 voting members—field experts like lab physicians and technologists—help us develop and maintain standards for lab practice. Interested in the fine-print? Check out our ACLM Terms of Reference.
This committee also advises CPSA’s MFAC on decisions about lab services.
Neurodiagnostics Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee on Neurodiagnostics (ACN) oversees CPSA’s neurodiagnostic accreditation program. The 7 voting members—neurologist field experts—help us develop and maintain standards for Alberta’s neurodiagnostic facilities. The committee also advises MFAC on decisions about neurodiagnostic services.
Interested in the fine print? Check out our ACN Terms of Reference.
Non-Hospital Surgical Facilities Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee on Non-Hospital Surgical Facilities (ACNHSF) oversees CPSA’s NHSF accreditation program. The 10 voting members—field experts including anesthesiologists, plastic surgeons, ophthalmologists, dermatologists, gynecologists, registered nurses and oral surgeons—help us develop and maintain standards for Alberta’s NHSFs. The committee also advises MFAC on decisions about NHSF services.
Interested in the fine print? Check out our ACNHSF Terms of Reference.
Pulmonary Function Diagnostics (PFD) Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee on Pulmonary Function Diagnostics (ACPFD) oversees CPSA’s PFD accreditation program. The 9 voting members—respirologists, pediatric respirologists, physiologists and respiratory therapists—help us develop and maintain standards for Alberta’s PFD facilities. The committee also advises MFAC on decisions about PFD services.
Interested in the fine print? Check out the ACPFD Terms of Reference.
Sleep Medicine Diagnostics Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee on Sleep Medicine Diagnostics oversees CPSA’s sleep medicine accreditation program. The 11 voting members are sleep experts with training in respirology, pediatric respirology, psychiatry, respiratory therapy, and more. They help us develop and maintain standards for Alberta’s sleep medicine facilities. Interested in the fine print? The committee also advises MFAC on decisions about sleep medicine diagnostic services.
Check out the committee Terms of Reference.
Summative Assessment Advisory Committee
The Summative Assessment Advisory Committee reviews all physician summative assessment documentation and prepares recommendations to the Assistant Registrar, Registration, regarding each physician’s application for registration on the General Register.
Quasi-judicial bodies
Administered by CPSA’s Hearings Director, these bodies are required by health regulators under the Health Professions Act (HPA) to ensure hearing, review and appeal processes are fair and unbiased.
Hearing Tribunals
Hearing Tribunals consider evidence and arguments against physicians facing charges of unprofessional conduct. Comprised of both physician and public members, at least 50% of tribunals must be members of the public.
Complaint Review Committees (CRCs)
Complaint Review Committees (CRCs) review dismissed complaints at the request of the complainant. Comprised of both physician and public members, at least 50% of CRCs must be members of the public.
Council Appeal Panels
Council Appeal Panels are comprised of Council members. They review decisions from Hearing Tribunals and the accreditation committees that are under appeal, as well as appealable decisions on licensure.
Current opportunities
Interested in getting more involved with CPSA? We invite you to explore current opportunities to join one of our committees.
Questions?
Please reach out if you’d like to know more about CPSA committees.