Call for Applications - Registrants Seeking to Stand for Election to Council

Posted On: January 12, 2026

On behalf of the Governance Committee of the College of Naturopaths of Ontario, this is a call for applications from qualified registrants of the College to stand as a candidate for election to the Council in 2026. There are two positions open in this election.

Qualifications

To stand for election, applicants must:

  • meet the eligibility requirements set out in article 10.05 of the by-laws,
  • meet the competency framework established by the Council,
  • complete the orientation to the Council and election process provided by the Chief Executive Officer, and
  • meet the skills, expertise and diversity requirements established by the Governance Committee.

Article 10.05

This article of the by-laws establishes the eligibility requirements for individuals who wish to stand for election to the Council. It includes but it not limited to being a registrant in either the General or Inactive classes of registration with the College, practising in Ontario or living in Ontario if you are in the Inactive class, not holding a responsible position in either a naturopathic association or naturopathic education program, and not being in default of a fee or information return to the College. A full list of the criteria can be found in the College by-laws and can be confirmed at the time of applying.

Competency

The competency framework established by the Council ensures that individuals who are elected to the Council have the necessary skills to excel in the role. The competencies include:

  • An understanding of or willingness to learn about governance responsibilities,
  • An understanding of and ability to provide leadership,
  • An understanding of or willingness to learn about financial and organizational oversight,
  • An understanding of or willingness to learn about governing effectively, and
  • An understanding of the public sector and health systems.

More information about each of these competencies can be found in the Council and Committee Qualifying Program policy.

Orientation

As set out in the Qualifying Program policy, applicants seeking to stand for election to the Council must complete an orientation session offered by the Chief Executive Officer of the College. This session will provide details about the election requirements, the processes and how to apply. It will also provide information about the role of Council, the time commitment for Council members and the training that will be available.

Two sessions have been scheduled as follows:

  • January 28, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. EST, and
  • February 5, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. EST.

These two sessions will cover the same information so interested persons need only attend one. Registration is now open.

Skills, Expertise and Diversity Criteria

After completing an assessment of the Council and undertaking an analysis of the skills, expertise and diversity against those set out as required by the Council, the Governance Committee has established the following criteria for this election cycle. In order to stand for election, registrants must also meet one of the following three criteria:

  • A registrant whose practice is located outside of the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area, meaning that you practise in any of Eastern, Northern, Southern or Southwestern Ontario, or if you are Inactive, you reside in one of these areas.
  • A registrant who is a member of the Black, BIPOC or 2SLGBTQ+ community or a registrant who has lived experiences in these communities and can bring broad and diverse knowledge of them to the Council deliberations.
  • A registrant who has been practising the profession for less than seven years.

In addition, the Governance Committee has identified the following skills as those that the Council would ideally benefit from having at the Council table although they are not currently a priority. These include:

  • Knowledge of and experience in the principles of risk management, and
  • Knowledge of and experience in the principles involved in equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.

Application Process

The application process will be completed in two parts. The first part will enable interested registrants to provide the necessary information for a Panel of the Governance Committee to determine whether the applicant meets the criteria to stand as a candidate. This application must be completed no later than 3:00 pm on February 12, 2026.

The second part will enable the applicant to provide necessary information in support of the election process itself. This includes necessary Acknowledgements and Undertakings as well as biographical information and a personal statement. These will be reviewed by the Governance Committee prior to launching an election.

Candidates and Voting

A panel of the Governance Committee reviewing applications will approve all applications from individuals who meet the requirements irrespective of the number of positions available. Its role is not to determine who the individuals are that are candidates in the election but rather to ensure that all candidates meet the criteria established by the Council.

There are two positions open for election in 2026. Assuming that there are more candidates than positions available, all registrants in the General and Inactive classes who are in good standing will be invited to vote for two individuals from the list of candidates. Balloting will be conducted electronically which will open on March 23, 2026, and close at 3:00 p.m. on April 13, 2026 (election day).

Questions

Individuals who have questions are invited to bring those questions to the Orientation session on either January 28, 2026, or February 5, 2026. You may also wish to review the Election Handbook available from the College’s website or email the College at general@collegeofnaturopaths.on.ca.

How to Apply

The College is pleased to provide registrants with Part 1 of the on-line application form “Application to be a Candidate for Election to Council 2026”. This form will be available until February 12, 2026. Please note that due to technological limitations, once started the form must be completed in its entirety. Registrants will be required to upload a copy of the current résumé.

Andrew Parr, CAE

Chief Executive Officer

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