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Consultation - Late Renewal Fee Increase

Posted: April 1, 2021

Publié le 1 April 2021

The College of Dietitians of Ontario is proposing to increase the late renewal fee from the current flat rate of $70 to a percentage rate of 20% of the annual fee; 20% of the current annual fee of $641 would equal a late fee of $128.20.

No increase to the annual registration fee is proposed. The proposed increase applies to late renewal fees only.

Give Your Feedback by May 31, 2021

The College is asking for your feedback on the proposed late renewal fee increase, as amended in By-Law No. 2 (see amendment highlighted below). The opportunity for members to provide feedback is an important part of self-regulation. Your feedback ensures that you have input into the rules that govern your profession.

Why Increase the Late Renewal Fee?

Dietitians must renew their certificate of registration by October 31st each year to continue practicing dietetics in Ontario. The College’s annual renewal has been on the same date for over 15 years. The renewal date is clearly communicated to all new and current College members. And, for two months prior to the renewal date each year, members receive several notices and reminders about their renewal. Despite this, there are 60+ members every year who do not renew on time.
It takes College staff significant time and resources to manage late renewals. The late renewal fee has been the same rate since 2005. Increasing the fees will help offset these costs.

Please note that the late renewal fee is completely avoidable if a member renews on time.

The College understands that there can be extenuating circumstances for being late. We have processes in place to grant renewal extensions based on compassionate grounds for any member who notifies us about these circumstances before or soon after the renewal deadline date.
 

How the Proposed Late Fee Increase was Established

Several factors were considered in setting the amount for the proposed late renewal fee increase, including: 
  • Estimating College costs for managing late renewals;
  • Comparing late renewal fees charged by other regulatory health colleges in Ontario; and
  • Comparing late renewal fees charged by other dietetic regulatory bodies across Canada.
An increase to the late renewal fees was considered last year but was deferred due to the COVID-19.  At their meeting in March 2021, Council approved, in principle for the purpose of consultation with members and other stakeholders the amendment to By-Law 2: Fees to increase the late renewal fees.


Give your feedback by May 31, 2021

Please take this opportunity to let us know what you think of the proposed late renewal fee increase (highlighted below). Your feedback is very important and will be considered by Council before they make a decision on the proposed increase in the late fees. Please submit your comments by:


1. Completing the feedback survey

OR

2. Submitting a written response by email to: registration@collegeofdietitians.org


By-Law 2: FEES


1.  Definitions

1.1  In this By-Law,"College's Registration Regulation" means the current Regulation under the Act which sets out the requirements for the issuance of a certificate of registration by the College (currently Part III.1 of Ontario Regulation 593/94, as amended to O.Reg. 374/12).\
 
2. Application Fee

2.1 The application fee for a certificate of registration shall be calculated by adding the fee set out in Article 2.2 to any applicable assessment fee in Articles 2.3 through 2.5.

2.2  Subject to the additional fees in Articles 2.3 through 2.5, the fee for each application for a certificate of registration is $185.00, which fee is non-refundable.

2.3  An additional fee of $425.00 shall be payable where the application requires an assessment to determine whether the requirements of sub-subparagraph 1i B or C of subsection 6(1) of the College's Registration Regulation have been met.

2.4  An additional fee of $425.00 shall be payable where the application requires an assessment to determine whether the requirements of under sub-subparagraph 1ii A, B or D of subsection 6(1) of the College's Registration Regulation have been met.

2.5  An additional fee of $425.00 shall be payable where the applicant is required to satisfy the requirements of clause (a) of subsection 6(2) of the College's Registration Regulation.
 

3.   Annual Fee

3.1  Subject to the provisions of this by-law, every member holding either a General or Provisional Certificate of Registration shall pay an annual fee of $590.00 plus the increases in the annual fee set out in Article 3.3.  

3.2  The annual fee shall be applicable to the year commencing on November 1 and ending on October 31 and shall be payable on or before the 31st day of October, immediately preceding that year.

3.3  Effective for the annual fee payable for the year commencing November 1, 2015, the annual fee (payable by virtue of Article 3.1 by members holding a General Certificate of Registration and by virtue of Article 3.4 by members first issued a General Certificate of Registration) shall be increased each and every year from the year commencing November 1, 2015 to the year commencing November 1, 2019 by the lesser of
  1. two percent of the annual fee payable for the previous year, rounded up to the nearest dollar; and
  2. a percentage of the annual fee payable for the previous year equal to the increase, if any, of the Canadian Consumer Price Index for the Province of Ontario for the previous 12 months ending in April, rounded up to the nearest dollar.
3.4  The annual fee to be paid by every member for the year in which the person is issued a General Certificate of Registration shall be the amount determined by multiplying the annual fee otherwise payable under Article 3.1 by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of calendar months from the issuance of that Certificate to the end of the year for which the annual fee is being paid, including the month in which the Certificate is to be issued, and the denominator of which is 12, rounded up to the nearest dollar.
 
4.  Late Fees

4.1  No later than 60 days before the date the annual fee is due, the Registrar shall notify the member of the amount of the fee and the date on which the fee is due.

4.2  If a member fails to pay an annual fee, on or before the date the annual fee is due, the member shall pay a late payment fee  of $70  o20% of the annual fee.

4.3  The College may charge a member a late fee of $70 if the member fails to provide to the College by the specified due date any information that the College is required or authorized to request and receive from the member. 

5. Quality Assurance Fee

5.1  If a member fails to provide within 60 days of the date of a written request by the Quality Assurance Committee, a record, survey or other document which the member is required by the Regulation governing quality assurance to submit to the Committee, the member shall pay a fee of $70.00.

6.  Fee to Lift Suspension and for Reinstatement

6.1  A person who is otherwise entitled to the lifting of a suspension relating to the failure to pay a fee or to provide information to the College or Registrar must pay all outstanding fees and an additional fee of $70 payable at the time the person requests the lifting of the suspension.

6.2  A person who is otherwise entitled to reinstatement of his or her certificate of registration must pay all outstanding fees and a reinstatement fee of $185 payable at the time the person requests reinstatement.
 
7.   Temporary Certificates

7.1  The fee for the issuance of a Temporary Certificate of Registration is $120.00, which fee is non-refundable.

7.2  No fee for the issuance of a Temporary Certificate of Registration shall be payable under Article 7.1 where the person held a Provisional Certificate of Registration immediately prior to the issuance of a Temporary Certificate of Registration to that member.

7.3  The fee for any extension of a Temporary Certificate of Registration is the amount determined by multiplying the annual fee otherwise payable under Article 2.1 the numerator of which is the number of calendar months from the issuance of that Certificate until 10 weeks after the examination, including the month in which the Certificate is to be issued, and the denominator of which is 12, rounded up to the nearest dollar.
 
8. Fees in Relation to Prior Learning Assessments

8.1  Where a person applies to be eligible to undergo a prior learning assessment, as referred to in paragraph 2 of subsection 6(1) of the College’s Registration Regulation, the person shall pay a fee of $185.00, which fee is non-refundable.

8.2  A person who is eligible for and wishes to undergo a Performance Based Assessment (which may be done as part of a prior learning assessment), shall pay a fee of $2300 payable to the College prior to the College arranging for that assessment.

8.3  Where a person wishes to appeal a decision in relation to the person’s eligibility to undergo a prior learning assessment or in relation to the disqualification from or the results of any component of a  prior learning assessment, the applicant shall pay a fee of $75.00, which fee shall be payable prior to the consideration of the appeal.
 
9. Certificates of Authorization-Health Professional Corporations

9.1  The fee for the application for a certificate of authorization for a dietetic professional corporation, including on any application for reinstatement of a certificate of authorization, is $185.00, which fee is non-refundable.

9.2  The fee for the annual renewal of a certificate of authorization shall be applicable to the year commencing on November 1 and ending on October 31 and shall be payable on or before the 31st day of October, immediately preceding that year.

9.3  The fee for the issuance of a certificate of authorization, whether initial or revised, and the fee for each annual renewal thereof is $500.00, if in relation to the year commencing November 1, 2015 and $608.00 if in relation to the year commencing November 1, 2016.

9.4  Effective for the year commencing November 1, 2017, the fee for the issuance of a certificate of authorization, whether initial or revised, and the fee for each annual renewal thereof, namely $608.00 (as set out in Article 9.3 in relation to the year commencing November 1, 2016) shall be increased each and every year from the year commencing November 1, 2017 to the year commencing November 1, 2019 by the lesser of
  1. two percent of the fee payable for the previous year, rounded up to the nearest dollar; and
  2. a percentage of the fee payable for the previous year equal to the increase, if any, of the Canadian Consumer Price Index for the Province of Ontario for the previous 12 months ending in April, rounded up to the nearest dollar.
9.5  A dietetic professional corporation or a member listed in the College's records as a shareholder of a dietetic professional corporation shall pay an administrative fee of $70.00 for each notice sent by the Registrar to the corporation or member for failure of the corporation to renew its certificate of authorization on time, which fee is due within 30 days of the notice being sent.

9.6  The fee for the issuing of a document or certificate respecting a dietetic professional corporation, other than the first certificate of authorization or one annual renewal of that certificate of authorization is $50.00.

10. Other Fees/Rules Respecting Payments

10.1  If a person requests the Registrar to do anything that the Registrar is required or authorized to do by statute, by Regulation or by by-law, the person shall pay the fee required by the applicable by-law or if there is no fee provided by the by-law, the fee set by the Registrar for doing so.

10.2  A fee or monies payable to the College shall be considered paid
  1. if payment is made by VISA, MasterCard or other credit card accepted by the College, on the date upon which appropriate authorization is actually received at the offices of the College;
  2. if payment is made by cheque, the date of the cheque or the date the cheque is actually received at the offices of the College, whichever is later, provided that the cheque is ultimately honoured on first presentation to the financial institution of the payer; or
  3. if payment is made by money order, on the date upon which the money order is actually received at the offices of the College
10.3  Payment by any other means other than those specified in Article 10.2 above is not to be considered payment under this by-law.

10.4  A fee of $35.00 shall be payable by a member where the member purports to make payment to VISA, MasterCard or other credit card accepted by the College and payment is refused by the credit card provider on first submission by the College.

10.5  A fee of $55.00 shall be payable by a member where payment is made by cheque and the cheque is not honoured on first presentation to the financial institution of the payer.

11.  Refunds

11.1  If a member having paid the annual fee resigns or dies prior to May 1 of the year for which the annual fee was paid, the Registrar shall, if a request in writing is received prior to November 1 of the year for which the annual fee was paid, issue a refund to the former member or his or her estate, the amount of which shall be determined by multiplying the annual fee paid for that year by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of calendar months from the date of the member's resignation or death until and including the following October, but excluding the month in which the member resigned or died, and the denominator of which is 12, rounded up to the nearest dollar.

11.2  The Registrar shall not exercise her authority under Article 12.1 for a former member who ceased to be a member as a result of a decision or order of a committee or a panel of a committee of the College or in circumstances where the Registrar reasonably believes that the person ceased to be a member to avoid the imposition of such decision or order.

12.  Waiver/Reduction of Fees

12.1 The Registrar may in exceptional circumstances waive or reduce any fee referred to in this by-law, other than the annual fee or the fee for the issuance of a Temporary Certificate of Registration, provided the waiver or reduction is not based on the individual’s ability to pay the fee.

13. Payment by Cash

13.1  Payment by cash shall not be accepted by the College.