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CCTNB NEWSLETTER
July 2024
President’s Message
Dear Members,
CCTNB has been working hard with several initiatives that have been launched, and efforts maintained to ensure the protection of the public in New Brunswick (NB). Often the meetings, letters, networking, and materials are a part of the day-to-day and so do not make it to the awareness of our membership. However, much has changed since our last newsletter update. I will share a few highlights.
It is a pleasure for me to share with you several announcements regarding the counselling therapy landscape in NB. Many of us have been anticipating the tax exemption on counselling therapy from Bill C-59 across Canada, and I am happy to report that this work is still underway and CCTNB is working closely with stakeholders of this bill to ensure a smooth transition with resources available for all licensed counselling therapists (LCTs) in NB. The Bill will be in effect once it reaches assent, and there are no time estimates provided for when this will occur.
For those members who may not yet know, Blue Cross's Veterans Affairs Canada program has increased the maximum fee for counselling therapy to $145, effective April 1st, 2024. This is fantastic news as the increased fee will better support the healthcare of our veterans here in NB. We recognize that these programs can continue to improve in supporting veterans, and our billing committee is working hard to bridge this gap for the public.
Finally, a reminder that renewals were due on May 1, 2024. Renewals are still being processed and completed. Renewals not received by May 31, 2024, are charged a late fee, so please make sure that your information is in. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our deputy registrar, Andrea, at info@cctnb.ca.
I want to take a brief moment and thank you all for the hard work that you do. I want to acknowledge your work not only in the capacity as a counselling therapist, but also in any roles of leadership, support, creativity, and advocacy you bring to your respective communities. I believe that each one of us has the capacity to encourage a bit of change for the better in our own way, and collectively, we can improve the state of mental health here in this province.
Sherry Law
President of CCTNB
Professional Corporations
Since the creation of the CCTNB, the laws around professional corporations have existed. Part 4 of our Act guides our understanding of the requirements for professional corporations.
What is a professional corporation?
Professional corporations are legal entities who are members of the CCTNB who do not have voting rights. Professional corporations offer “counselling therapy” services and are required to adhere to the Act in all of its activities (see Part 4 of the Act, and By-law number 15).
Who needs to register as a professional corporation?
Based on our By-laws 15.02(h):
(h) No person or corporation shall carry on, purport to carry on or advertise the
carrying on the practice of licensed counselling therapy by, through or in the
name of a corporation or professional corporation unless registered as a
professional corporation under the Act and by-laws.
This means that any person or company who advertises or carries out “counselling therapy” must register with the college to legally do so.
Why do I need to register as a professional corporation?
It is important to understand that our profession can only maintain our standards of conduct through membership. It is the law that any persons carrying, purporting to carry, or advertising the services of counselling therapy by members of the College to acquire proper oversight. In addition, as we anticipate the assent of Bill C-59, ensuring your corporation is registered will allow for a more seamless tax exemption process.
Why am I only learning about this now?
We refer back to the importance of the pillars as described in our previous newsletters. All information regarding requirements of professional corporations have been published since the inception of the College, but it requires a tremendous number of resources to both manage essential College operations, and provide added support to our members in terms of education. We have made progress over time in allocating appropriate resources to the latter pursuit of ensuring the highest standards of our profession through education, and this newsletter segment is a part of that journey. We are providing this information to you now because we have the capacity to do so as our activities outside the essentials are entirely reliant on volunteer’s good will and efforts.
Call for Nominations for Board Positions
As we near our next AGM, many positions on the board are opening up. We currently have a need for the following:
President-elect
This is a two-year executive position on the board which leads to a two-year presidency term in 2026 where you will become the Chair of the board, and represent the College officially. Within the president-elect role, you will be participating in board meetings, voluntary committee meetings, governance, and provide opportunities to lead the profession of counselling therapy in New Brunswick.
Treasurer
This is a two-year executive position on the board overseeing and supporting the ethical financial management of the College. You will be participating in board meetings to provide financial guidance to the board. The treasurer role would be well suited for an individual with some experience in bookkeeping or accounting.
Director
This is a two-year board position overseeing the activities of the College. You will be participating in board meetings with opportunities to guide the board in its decision-making processes, along with voluntary committee meetings and leadership.
Note: All volunteer positions with the College qualify for continuing education credits.
We are putting out this call for official nominations for these positions. If you would like to nominate yourself or be nominated for a position, please send a 250-word submission outlining your interest in a position, your background information, and why you would be well suited for this role to info@cctnb.ca. While we value all interest and encourage anyone to apply that would like to be involved, we are especially interested in individuals who are Francophone, Indigenous, have knowledge of governance and boards, or have knowledge of business and organizational management.
Change of Address
CCTNB will no longer be using the PO Box address that might be found on older documents. Going forward, please make sure you are using updated forms, and, if required, that they are being mailed to:
205 - 236 St. George Street
Moncton, NB
E1C 1W1
Official CCTNB Rules
Official CCTNB rules can now be found on our website (cctnb.ca) at the bottom of the webpage. Please do not save this document as it is important to always use the most up-to-date information and changes to the document may occur without notice.