Welcome to the Applied Behaviour Analysis portal of the College of Psychologists of Ontario

The College of Psychologists of Ontario is pleased to embark on a process, with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, to establish regulation of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) in Ontario.

Information for potential members and the public about the upcoming regulation of the profession of ABA will be posted in this section of the College website.  Check back here to find the latest updates, whether you are a client of a Behaviour Analyst or their family, employer of Behaviour Analysts, Behaviour Analyst currently practicing in Ontario, member of the College of Psychologists or someone interested in the profession of ABA.

You can also subscribe to the College’s newsletter, HeadLines, to receive the latest information about the regulation of the professions of Psychology and Applied Behaviour Analysis by clicking on the “Subscribe” button.

Do I need to Register?

The College has designed a Self-Screening Tool to assist practitioners in the field of behaviour analysis, therapy, or intervention to determine if they will need to apply to the College once registration opens. To view the Self-Screening Tool click here.

Registration Information

Upon proclamation, there will be two Certificates of Registration for Behaviour Analysts in Ontario:

  1.  Certificate of Registration for a Behaviour Analyst Authorizing Autonomous Practice.
  2.  Certificate of Registration for a Behaviour Analyst Authorizing Supervised Practice.

Registration requirements have been developed for Behaviour Analyst graduates entering the practice for the first time, and for experienced Behaviour Analysts. The goal is to ensure that all registered Behaviour Analysts will have the necessary qualifications and competencies to deliver safe, effective, and quality care to the Ontario public. During transition, there will be three routes to registration:

  1. Transition Route #1: Active Board Certified Behavior Analysts with the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) (expressed as BCBA, or BCBA-D for those with doctoral level certification) who are in good standing will qualify for a Certificate of Registration for a Behaviour Analyst Authorizing Autonomous Practice once they successfully complete a Jurisprudence Module. The BACB is the foremost ABA certification board (non-regulator) in North America.
  2. Transitional Route #2: Non-BCBA/BCBA-D Behaviour Analysts who have been working competently within the Scope of Practice of ABA and can demonstrate current practice of at least 1500 hours within the past 4 years will qualify for a Certificate of Registration for a Behaviour Analyst Authorizing Autonomous Practice once they have successfully completed the Ontario Examination for Professional Practice in Applied Behaviour Analysis, and the Jurisprudence and Ethics Course and Assessment in Applied Behaviour Analysis.
  3. Entry Level Route: Applicants who are not eligible to apply for a Certificate of Registration for a Behaviour Analysts Authorizing Autonomous Practice under the Transitional Routes must satisfy requirements in order to be issued a Certificate of Registration for a Behaviour Analyst Authorizing Supervised Practice.

Ontario Examination for Professional Practice in Applied Behaviour Analysis (OEPPABA)

The College has reached another milestone as it prepares to bring the profession of ABA into regulation as a health profession in Ontario. On June 16, 2023, the College’s Council approved the competency profile and blueprint for the OEPPABA as required by the Psychology and Applied Behaviour Analysis Act, 2021, which comes into force on July 1, 2024.

In March 2023, the College struck a working group of ABA professionals who participated as Subject Matter Experts tasked with developing the competency profile and blueprint for the College’s examination. The content of the College’s examination will adhere to this competency profile, which represents knowledge, skills and attitudes identified as being important for Behaviour Analysts at entry-level and throughout their career. The examination’s blueprint provides information to candidates about the weighting of each domain on the examination.

To view the Competency Profile and Examination Blueprint for Behaviour Analysts in Ontario click here.

Complaints Against Unregulated Practitioners

Under current legislation, providers of behaviour services refer to themselves using a variety of titles.  Beginning on July 1, 2024, with proclamation of the Psychology and Applied Behaviour Analysis Act (2021), the use of the title “Behaviour Analyst” is restricted to members of the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts, who are registered as Behaviour Analysts.  Beginning on that date, unregulated practitioners cannot use the title “Behaviour Analyst” or indicate any certification or designation or communicate in any way that could be considered as holding oneself out as a person who is qualified to practice as a Behaviour Analyst. Individuals using any other title or using the title “Behaviour Analyst” without the authority to do so, may be unregulated providers rather than members of a regulatory health college.  Anyone with concerns about an unregulated practitioner may contact the employer of that individual, seek legal advice, or contact the College. The College will contact those who use these terms and titles without authorization and will take steps to have them stop this practice.

Video Information Session
Click here for a video information session on the regulation of ABA.

ABA Updates:

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions