RHPA Migration Announcement

New Respiratory Therapy Regulations Approved Under the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA)

Effective November 1, 2025

The Government of Nova Scotia has approved new regulations for the profession of Respiratory Therapy under the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA). These regulations came into force on November 1, 2025, marking a significant step forward in modernizing how the profession is regulated in the public interest. 

About the RHPA Migration

This marks an important milestone in regulatory evolution, as respiratory therapy has formally migrated from the Respiratory Therapists Act to the RHPA. The RHPA provides a modern, consistent legislative framework for the regulation of health professions across the province. This migration reflects a broader government initiative aimed at strengthening public protection and improving regulatory consistency.

As part of this legislative change, our name also changed. As of November 1, 2025, we have become the Nova Scotia Regulator of Respiratory Therapy (NSRRT), with the purpose of regulating the profession in accordance with the objects set out in Section 6 of the Regulated Health Professions Act.

While our name and legislative authority have changed, our commitment to protecting the public interest through effective, fair, and transparent regulation remains unchanged.

 Why This Matters

The migration of respiratory therapy regulation to the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) represents a shift in how respiratory therapy is regulated in Nova Scotia.

The RHPA provides a consistent framework that applies across health professions, promoting fairness, accountability, and transparency in regulation. By moving under this legislation, the Nova Scotia Regulator of Respiratory Therapy gains access to modern regulatory tools and clearer processes for registration, complaints, and fitness to practice.

This change enhances our ability to:

• Focus on risk-based decision-making that protects the public more effectively
• Ensure greater consistency and fairness across the health system
• Provide clearer roles and expectations for registrants, patients, and the public
• Align with contemporary standards of professional regulation, including transparency, proportionality, and accountability

This is an important evolution in how we fulfill our mandate — one that reinforces our commitment to safe, competent, and ethical respiratory care in Nova Scotia.

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Summary of Key Changes

The migration to the RHPA brings forward a number of structural and operational changes to how respiratory therapy will be regulated in Nova Scotia. While the core mandate of protecting the public interest will remain unchanged, the new framework will provide enhanced tools and oversight mechanisms to support that work.

Governance and Legislative Authority

• The organization will continue under a new name: Nova Scotia Regulator of Respiratory Therapy (NSRRT)
• As of November 1, 2025, we are operating under the Regulated Health Professions Act and new Respiratory Therapy Regulations, replacing the Respiratory Therapists Act

Regulatory Tools and Oversight

• The RHPA provides modernized provisions for managing complaints, investigations, and discipline
• It authorizes the use of interim measures and supports risk-based decision-making
• It strengthens pathways for addressing fitness to practice concerns

Registration and Entry to Practice

Under the RHPA, the Nova Scotia Regulator of Respiratory Therapy will license in two categories:

• Practicing License:  a license issued under the Act authorizing registrants to engage in practice without conditions or restrictions
• Conditional License: a license issued under the Act for registrants who have not yet met all registration requirements and are authorized to practice subject to conditions or restrictions

Updates to Registrant Directory

The NSRRT registrant directory has been updated to include details on the following:

• First and Last name (preferred name)
• License Number
• License Status
• License Expiry Date
• Registration Class
• Initial Registration Date
• Conditions/Restrictions
• Sanctions
• Approved reserved practice

Committee Changes Under RHPA

Several committees will be newly established or renamed:

New Committee Name	Former Name
Registration and Licensing Committee	Credentials Committee
Registration and Licensing Appeals Committee	Registration Appeal Committee
Appointments Committee	Nominations Committee
Complaints Committee	No change
Professional Conduct Committee	No change
Fitness to Practice Committee	New under RHPA
Reinstatement Committee	No change
Practice Review Committee	New under RHPA
Professional Practice Committee	No change

In conjunction with this change, our website URL has changed to www.nsrrt.ca. Please update your records accordingly. Upon migration, all traffic to our previous URL, nscrt.com, will be automatically redirected to the new address.

Additionally, effective November 1, the Registrar’s email address has changed to registrar@nsrrt.ca. I encourage you to use this new contact information for all correspondence.

If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind Regards

Lori Peppler-Beechey

NSRRT, Registrar