Compliance register
What we check, and against which standard
Every page we write or review is checked against the standards below that apply to the practice's profession and province. The review produces a dated record that states which standard was checked, at which version, and what was changed. This page lists what we check. It does not state that any site is compliant; compliance is a judgement your College makes.
College advertising standards
Each regulated health profession in each province has a College or Order with a standard, bylaw, or guideline on advertising and marketing. They differ in detail but share themes: accuracy, no false or misleading claims, limits or bans on testimonials, no comparisons with other practitioners, no guarantees of results, correct use of titles and specialties, and rules on advertising fees.
What we check
- Every claim on every page against the current standard for the profession and province.
- Testimonials, reviews, and endorsements: present only where the standard permits.
- Superlatives (best, leading, top), guarantees, and comparative statements: removed or rewritten.
- Titles, credentials, specialties, and designations: stated as the College permits.
- Fee and price statements: in the form the College and province require.
- Before and after imagery: only where permitted.
Where the rules come from
| Who | Source |
|---|---|
| Pharmacists | CPBC (BC), ACP (Alberta), OCP (Ontario), OPQ (Québec), and the pharmacy regulator in each other province |
| Physicians | CPSBC (BC), CPSA (Alberta), CPSO (Ontario), CMQ (Québec), and the College of Physicians and Surgeons in each other province |
| Dentists | BCCOHP (BC), CDSA (Alberta), RCDSO (Ontario), ODQ (Québec) |
| Physiotherapists | CHCPBC (BC), College of Physiotherapists of Alberta, College of Physiotherapists of Ontario, OPPQ (Québec) |
| Naturopathic doctors | CCHPBC (BC), CNDA (Alberta), CONO (Ontario) |
| Nurses and nurse practitioners | BCCNM (BC), CRNA (Alberta), CNO (Ontario), OIIQ (Québec) |
Health Canada: prescription drug advertising
Under the Food and Drug Regulations (section C.01.044), a prescription drug may be advertised to the general public only by its brand name, proper name, or common name, its price, and its quantity. Promoting a prescription product's benefits or indications to the public is not permitted. This is the rule most general agencies break on pharmacy and clinic sites, and it applies to clinic pages that describe treatments as much as to pharmacy pages.
What we check
- Any mention of a prescription drug on any page: limited to name, price, and quantity.
- Service pages (weight management, skin, sexual health, smoking cessation) written to describe the service and the consultation, not the prescription product.
- Natural health products and non prescription drugs described within their authorized claims.
Where the rules come from
| Who | Source |
|---|---|
| All professions | Food and Drugs Act and Food and Drug Regulations, section C.01.044; Health Canada guidance on distinguishing advertising from other activities |
Privacy law
Personal information collected through a website is governed federally by PIPEDA and, where a province has substantially similar legislation, by that province's law: PIPA in British Columbia, PIPA in Alberta, and Québec's private sector privacy law as amended by Law 25. Health information held by custodians is governed by provincial health privacy statutes such as PHIPA in Ontario and PHIA in Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. These laws shape what forms may collect, where data may be stored, what the privacy policy must say, and how analytics may be used.
What we check
- Forms collect contact details and a free text message only. No health information is collected by any form we build.
- Intake routes to the practice's own system or a Canadian hosted tool, never by plain email.
- The privacy policy matches the forms, analytics, and third party tools actually in use.
- Analytics are first party by default; any third party analytics are disclosed and configured to limit collection.
- Data location is stated where it is known.
Where the rules come from
| Who | Source |
|---|---|
| All professions | PIPEDA (federal); PIPA (BC); PIPA (Alberta); PHIPA (Ontario); Québec Law 25; PHIA (Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador) |
CASL: electronic messages and consent
Canada's anti spam legislation governs commercial electronic messages. Any newsletter, marketing email, or text message needs consent that meets CASL's requirements, clear sender identification, and an unsubscribe mechanism.
What we check
- Any marketing capture carries CASL consent wording and records the consent.
- Transactional messages (appointment confirmations, refill notices) are separated from marketing.
- Unsubscribe works and is honoured.
Where the rules come from
| Who | Source |
|---|---|
| All professions | Canada's Anti Spam Legislation (CASL), enforced by the CRTC |
Accessibility
WCAG 2.1 AA is the standard we build and test to. In Ontario, the AODA requires public websites of organizations with 50 or more employees to meet WCAG 2.0 AA. British Columbia's Accessible British Columbia Act and the federal Accessible Canada Act set expectations for organizations they cover. For every practice, an accessible site is a mark of care and a reduction in exposure.
What we check
- WCAG 2.1 AA at launch and at each quarterly review: contrast, headings, alt text, labels, keyboard access, focus visibility.
- An accessibility statement page.
- For Ontario practices, a summary the practice can use for AODA reporting.
Where the rules come from
| Who | Source |
|---|---|
| All professions | WCAG 2.1 AA; AODA (Ontario); Accessible British Columbia Act; Accessible Canada Act |
Québec: French language
Practices serving Québec are subject to the Charter of the French Language, as amended by Bill 96, which sets requirements for the language of commercial publications and websites. French must be at least equivalent to any other language on the site.
What we check
- French version present and at least equivalent where the practice serves Québec.
- French copy checked by a French speaker.
Where the rules come from
| Who | Source |
|---|---|
| All professions serving Québec | Charter of the French Language (Bill 96 amendments); Office québécois de la langue française |
The deliverable
The compliance review record
Every build and every quarterly re review produces a dated document stating: the profession and province; each standard checked and its version or date; each page reviewed; what was changed and why; the reviewer's name and credential. The practice can show it to their College, their lawyer, or their insurer.
Nothing on this page is legal advice, and we never state that a site is compliant. We state what was reviewed, against which standard, on which date. Your College decides the rest.
Want your current site checked against this register?
The free Practice Website Check returns a ten point review within two business days, including the advertising standard flags we found.