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Licensure General Information

WHAT DOES LICENSURE MEAN?

Our licensure goal is to establish self-regulation to provide title protection. Our self-regulation application outlines our request for title protection. This means that the title of Recreation Therapist could only be used by individuals holding the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) designation.

Timeline – WHEN WILL WE GET LICENSED?

In March 2021, we received an email from the Department of Health and Wellness indicating  that our file remains on their workplan, however, the pandemic and vaccination roll-out has  significantly impacted their non-COVID projects. They noted that based on their timelines, it  could be Fall 2021 when they request a meeting with us. 

The Association continues to foster relationships with key organizations in the province including The Healthy Tomorrow Foundation, Recreation Nova Scotia and Doctors NS which can  only highlight our profession and thus create additional support for our goal. We have been  invited to present at the DNS Family Doctor’s Council and write an article for the Doctor’s Nova  Scotia Magazine!

In January and February 2020, members of the Licensure Committee and the NSTRA Board of  Directors met with Robert Chisholm, former leader of the Nova Scotia NDP and Federal Member  of Parliament regarding how to lobby our local MLA’s and highlight the role of Recreation  Therapy within the public. We were fortunate to have Robert Chisholm join us at our Virtual  AGM and Workshop in October 2020. 

During Therapeutic Recreation Month 2020, Members of the Licensure Committee and the  Board of Directors met with the Honourable Randy Delorey to declare February as THERAPEUTIC RECREATION Month in the Province of NS. This also allowed an opportunity to discuss and  receive insight into how best to move our file forward. 

On June 12th, 2020, members of the Board were invited to a meeting with Doctor NS to share  information about the scope of Recreation Therapy Professionals and the NSTRA Report “Relieve  Burden in the Healthcare System by Advocating for Recreation Therapy Services and ‘Social  Prescription’”. The result of this meeting included connections to the Primary Health Physicians  Group and The Chair of the College of Family Physicians.  

On July 24th, 2020, members of the Licensure Committee met with a Department of Health and  Wellness Senior Legislative Policy Analyst regarding our application for self-regulation and as a  result, the Committee submitted supplemental information to support our application specific to COVID-19 and the role of Therapeutic Recreation.

Our application was submitted in May 2019 followed by confirmation in July 2019 that our  application was being considered and was in the queue. Communication has continued since  that time with Cindy Cruickshank, Director, Health Workforce Policies & Programs, and her staff  regarding the status of our application and what additional information would assist in moving  our application to an active file.  

In late 2019 the Licensure Committee met with Mr. Bruce Holmes the Executive Director of the  Nova Scotia Regulated Health Professions Network to explore support of our licensure goal and  further develop a relationship with that organization. Mr. Holmes proved to be a wealth of  information and suggested several avenues for assisting us in our goal. These are being acted  on by both the Licensure Committee and the NSTRA Board.

Committee UPDATES

Priorities of the Licensure Committee

  • Advocate for licensure of recreation therapy professionals in NS
  • Educate others about the profession
  • Educate others about the role of recreation therapy in the well-being of Nova Scotians
  • Engage with policy analysts, political parties, government and legal counsel

Highlights and Work to Date

  • Development of annual budget
  • Access to skilled legal counsel in health profession regulation
  • Regular communication with key individuals and organizations linked to goal of becoming licensed
  • Engagement with 21 FSP – Consultants that supported the work of the committee by doing outreach on behalf of NSTRA that included key stakeholders from Government (Seniors and LTC, DHW, Office of MH&A), WCB, HANS
  • One major recommendation was Brand Recognition (which has now shifted to the Marketing Committee)

Highlights of 2023-24

  • As NSTRA continues to explore its options for statutory regulation, we have had a number of discussions with DHW representatives over this past year
  • At the moment, the DHW is focused on the implementation of the Regulated Health Profession Act (RHPA), and migrating existing regulators under new regulations
  • Our most recent communication with DHW is that they will resume discussions with us about regulation in the spring, and we have requested a meeting with them to further understand what this will look like
  • While the pace is slow, we are pleased we are having these continued discussions

Next Steps and How to get Involved

  • Meet with DHW for an update on our application
  • Follow-up with Legal Counsel to determine action plan and next steps for Spring 2025

Questions? Email the co-chairs at licensure@nstra.info.

An Update from NSTRA’s Licensure Committee

The Regulated Health Professions Act was passed on November 9, 2023. This Act establishes a common and consistent regulatory framework for all 22 regulated health professions.

We have continued our interactions with the Nova Scotia Regulated Health Professions Network (NSRHPN) to ensure we are kept abreast of all the discussions and feedback. We will endeavor to update the NSTRA membership with communications as new information and developments occur.

Along with board members, we continue to interact with a wide variety of leaders. 21 FSP Advisory Partners completed a contract to assist in our self-regulation journey. The report has provided valuable insights that will be helpful as we move forward.

The NSTRA has undertaken a number of strategic projects that will impact our journey. Two of these projects are the development of

  • Standards of Practice
  • Scope of Practice (Recreation Therapist & Recreation Therapy Programmer / Associate)

It is clear that strategic communications have been invaluable to increase awareness of Recreation Therapy services and continuing to increase awareness will assist us to move our goal of self-regulation forward.

Are you interested in being actively involved in projects, have questions or would like to know more. Interested but feeling unsure of how you can contribute… Fresh perspectives and new skill sets are essential and welcomed. Please reach out to the Licensure Committee at licensure@nstra.info.

This may be the motto of your Licensure committee.

In March 2023, the N.S. government introduced and subsequently passed in April 2023 Bill 256 “An Act to Reduce Administrative Barriers to the Provision of Health Care”. This act has a multitude of purposes and intent, from the regulation of sick notes, to fee reduction, e fees and the registration / licensing of regulated health-care professionals moving into the province. Furthermore, the act permits the government of NS to amend the scope of practice and regulations of 21 currently regulated health professions without having to introduce legislation in to the House of Assembly.

This bill is also ‘Opening the Door’ on licensing and allows multiple health professions to become organized under one regulatory act. The other major changes included in the bill relates to the 21 regulated health-care professions and their scope of practice.

In the NSTRA Licensure Sub-Committee’s last update, some of these changes were mentioned. Although your committee believes this Bill will be helpful in our quest, we observed and noted that there are a number of concerns raised by our fellow health professionals who are currently regulated under 21 separate acts.

Now that the Province has enabled a more efficient and responsive system to updating and enhancing regulated health professions, it is our primary goal to reconnect with Mark Lucas and his team as it is not clear to us at present where our application for Self-Regulation sits in their queue of priorities and actions.

Additionally, we will continue to develop, formalize and solidify our relationship with the Nova Scotia Regulated Health Professions Network. We will endeavour to gather information from them along with our legal Counsel McInnes Cooper as to the implications of this new legislation and the opportunities it affords Recreation Therapy practitioners.

We have and will continue our interactions with a wide variety of government departments, associations, services, provincial bureaucrats, leaders in healthcare, and mentors. We continue to interact with our national and international compatriots to ensure we are kept abreast of trends, goals and directions across Canada and the USA. We will attempt to regularly keep the NSTRA membership informed of all the discussions and feedback through this consultation process.

We are likely heading into a provincial election prior to our application being resolved. You can support our profession’s goal of self-regulation by reaching out to your local politicians, bureaucrats, and others to share the message of ‘How TR Helps!’ A webinar was held in Summer 2023 to help us all with our individual advocating efforts. Stay tuned for marketing material to help with your advocacy!

What can you do?

  1. Enact or continue the change to your name and credentials by identifying your post-secondary education achievements and using the “Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS)” denotation on all your professional documentation and correspondence.
  2. At any opportunity with whomever articulate why it is important for Recreation Therapists in NS to be regulated to protect the public. Practice your ‘elevator pitch” into automation!
  3. You can keep active with NSTRA whether it is checking for social media updates, partaking in communication opportunities within our community, with our employers, with your union, elected representatives, clients, client’s families and so on.
  4. You can encourage your colleagues and fellow RT Practitioners who are not currently members of NSTRA to join and attend the 2023 Fall Conference. “United we are Strong”.
  5. We are likely heading into a provincial election within the next two years, which may be prior to our application being resolved. You can support this goal by reaching out to your local politicians, union, bureaucrats, and others to share the message of “How TR Helps!”

How do I communicate directly with the Licensure Committee?

Feel free to email us at licensure@nstra.info or contact our co-chairs, Rhonda Booth, Shelley Smith, Heather Baker or any of the members of the Licensure Committee.

An Update from NSTRA’s Licensure Committee

The Licensure Committee has some fantastic news to share!

On February 15, 2022, the NSTRA President: Robin Abbass, as well as Heather Baker and Shelley Smith, Co-Chairs of Licensure Sub-Committee and Andrew Ritcey, Sub-Committee member attended a meeting with Mark Lucas and Melissa Sponagle with the Department of Health and Wellness Workforce Policy portfolio to discuss our current application for self-regulation for Recreation Therapists in the Province of Nova Scotia. 

Currently there are 22 other health regulation acts in our province, plus there are a number of other health professions like ours who have applied for regulation and are waiting.  Mr. Lucas shared this government’s desire to create consistency in Health Profession governance.  The current government is looking to modernize regulations with an emphasis, as always, on public safety.  Their goal is to provide consistency amongst the regulatory bodies relating to complaints, college and board governance, etc.  

Several questions have been asked of our association which the NSTRA Board and Licensure Sub-Committee are busily accumulating detailed information and after review and input by our legal counsel our responses will be forwarded to Mr. Lucas and his Workforce Policy team.  The committee has set a personal deadline of the third week of March 2022.  Much of the information requested relates to Risk of Harm and Roles and Responsibilities.  The Licensure Committee feels a significant amount of that information has been very well outlined in our most recent application; however, we will ensure an extensive review is completed for any additional information to highlight the valuable and critical work of Recreation Therapy practitioners in the province.  

Along with board members, we continue to interact with a wide variety of leaders: Dr. K. Orrell, CEO of the newly created Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment (former Deputy Minister of Health and Wellness), Dr. S Hickcox, Chief Officer of the Office of Mental Health and Addictions, K. MacFarlane, Minister of Community Services, M. Medioli, Executive Director of the Disability Support Program at the Nova Scotia Department of Community Service, B. Adams, Minister of Seniors and Long Term Care, R Lafferty, Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, and many others.  These strategic communications have been invaluable to increase awareness of Recreation Therapy services and to move our goal of self- regulation forward.  

We have and will continue to step up our interactions with the Nova Scotia Regulated Health Professions Network (NSRHPN) to ensure we are kept abreast of all the discussions and feedback through this process.  We will endeavor to update the NSTRA membership with communications as new information and developments occur.  

Exciting times for our profession. Stay Tuned!!

Licensure Sub-Committee (2021):
Co-Chairs: Heather Baker, Shelley Smith, Rhonda Booth Active Members: Colleen Bateman (pre presidential role), Andrew Ritcey, Chloe Zinck, Brittany Mackeen NSTRA Membership Director, liaison to the NSTRA Board.

  • Association seeks to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals become engaged in that profession and the public interest.
  • Membership — belonging to an organization, usually there is a fee.
  • Licensure — restricted practice or a restriction on the use of an occupational title. A license created under a “practice act” requires a license before performing a certain activity.
  • College — oversees practice standards, quality assurance, entry to practice, enforcement. Not to be confused with an institute of learning.
  • Registration – The act or process of entering names on an official list following a process to confirm education, etc. Once confirmed you are a registered member.
  • Certification – Formal procedure by which an accredited or authorized person or agency assesses and verifies by issuing a certificate the attributes, characteristics, quality, qualification, or status of individuals.

Self Regulation — It is a privilege granted to professions in the public interest.

PURPOSE OF LICENSURE

  • Licensure will give us a formal means of self-regulation to protect our
    titles
  • The title of Recreation Therapist could only be used by individuals
    holding the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS)
    designation
  • Thus, protecting the public

A Paper Trail

  • October 19, 2018 – NSTRA AGM a motion to membership to proceed
  • Our application was submitted in May 2019 followed by confirmation in July 2019 that our application was being considered and was in the queue
  • In 2020, after a meeting with Department of Health and Wellness Senior Legislative Policy Analyst, supplemental information was submitted to support our application specific to COVID-19 and the role of Therapeutic Recreation
  • 2021 Department of Health and Wellness indicates our file remains on their workplan; however, the pandemic and vaccination roll-out has significantly impacted their non-COVID projects. Based on their timelines, it could be Fall 2021 when they request a meeting with us

Building Relationships

  • Late 2019, the Licensure Committee began a relationship with Nova Scotia Regulated Health Professions Network (ongoing)
  • 2020, members of the Licensure Committee and the NSTRA Board of Directors met with Robert Chisholm for skill building on how to effectively lobby our local MLA’s highlighting the role of Recreation Therapy within the public
  • June 2020, members of the Board were invited to a meeting with Doctors NS to share information about the scope of Recreation Therapy Professionals and the NSTRA Report “Relieve Burden in the Healthcare System by Advocating for Recreation Therapy Services and ‘Social Prescription”. The result of this meeting included connections to the Primary Health Physicians Group and The Chair of the College of Family Physicians
  • March 2021, NSTRA was invited to present at the DNS Family Doctor’s Council, Primary Health Council and write an article for the Doctor’s NS Magazine

Next Steps

  • Provincial Election is on our doorstep
  • This election is an opportunity for each of us to share our personal messages, our family concerns, our professional needs
  • Licensure and Advocacy committees have reconnected with Robert Chisholm and will be creating a tool for us all to use when reaching out to those running for office
  • NSTRA board has reached out to the caucus organizers and meetings are being held on our behalf
DOWNLOAD THE 2021 TOWN HALL UPDATE

Frequently Asked Questions

he proposed registrant fees in our submission budget to the Department of Health and Wellness is based on an anticipated 189 registrants and is at minimum $650.00 per annum. The fees would go to the expenses related to operating a college. These expenses include a reserve fund for handling complaints, disciplinary processes that may incur and could involve the engagement of legal counsel, staffing support for general administration, and a part-time Registrar that would be a Licensed Recreation Therapist and CTRS.

The Professional CTRS Membership fee includes an earmarked amount of 50% to be contributed to the establishment of a Regulated College of Recreation Therapists. The current Professional CTRS Membership fee is $150 of which $75 is put into the licensure fund. During the NSTRA Annual General Meeting on October 24th, 2025, a by-law amendment was passed by membership to increase Professional CTRS Membership fees to $200.00 of which $100 will be put into the licensure fund. This will begin during the 2026/2027 membership year.

Registration with the Nova Scotia College of Physiotherapists is $650 annually, with modest additional fees for clinic/business owners in private practice and the College of Occupational Therapists of Nova Scotia is $575 annually. There are many more Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists in Nova Scotia than Recreation Therapists.

For graduates with a degree in Recreation Therapy the NCTRC application and exam costs $450.00 USD ($630.00 CAD based upon a $0.70 cent exchange rate). For OT graduates it is $700.00 plus HST and for PT graduates it is $1368.00.

Currently, the Professional CTRS Membership fee is $150.00 per annum of which 50% goes to a fund to establish the College of Recreation Therapists. It is therefore imperative all CTRS’ practicing in Nova Scotia help to contribute to the funding of the Nova Scotia College of Recreation Therapists. There is a requirement by the Province of Nova Scotia that an applicant such as NSTRA have sufficient financial resources to establish a college. It is suggested that a minimum of $100,000.00 is required for initial setup expenses. Therefore, once the college is established, the annual membership fees of NSTRA would be the same as for all professional members, i.e. $75.00 for 2025/2025 and starting in the 2026/2027 membership year the professional membership fee will be $100 per annum.

If self-regulation is granted, NSTRA will continue as a membership focused organization, while the regulator (aka the “College”) will be the public interest focused organization, much in the same way as groups like the “College of Physicians and Surgeons” and “Doctors Nova Scotia” have split the membership and regulatory functions.

Once we have an Act proclaimed in Nova Scotia, we will also move forward with the establishment of a registration process for all other Recreation Therapy Professionals in the province.

Currently, when we become aware of job postings that do not accurately reflect our education and scope of practice, we do respond to the hiring organization. Licensure would protect the title, thus only those individuals holding the CTRS designation could be hired as a Recreation Therapist. Licensure would not only ensure a strong foundation for discussion with employers regarding all position descriptions within Recreation Therapy service areas but also ensure only qualified applicants are hired and practice as Recreation Therapists in the Province of Nova Scotia.

Additionally, licensure will enable Recreation Therapists to obtain employment in non-traditional roles that reflect our education and scope of practice. Examples include positions that require a licensed health profession. There have been several job postings over the years that have led to NSTRA advocating for the inclusion of the Recreation Therapist role, however, many of these employers have identified that a ‘licensed’ healthcare professional was required.

Nova Scotia has a significant CTRS presence and moving forward together is critical. We need CTRS’ in the province to continue to be active members of our Association. Numbers matter to the government! Currently, out of 210 CTRS’ who declare a Nova Scotia address, in 2024-25, 90 were members of NSTRA. This may suggest to the Department of Health and Wellness and the Government that there really is a lack of commitment and perhaps qualified Recreation Therapists are not as significant and critical contributors to the health and community service delivery when compared to their licensed counterparts. Please reach out to your colleagues, let them know their continued membership counts and if you are currently a member, please renew your membership. Licensure can happen with the collective support of all CTRS’ in NS. Now is the time to join NSTRA!

Email licensure@nstra.info or contact the Licensure subcommittee Chairs Shelley Smith.