Emergency Class

The purpose of the Emergency Class is to ensure that there is a sufficient number of qualified Respiratory Therapists to provide essential services to the public of Ontario during emergency situations.

Applications to the Emergency Class will be open when the CRTO Council or the government determines that there is an emergency, and it is in the public interest to register applicants in the Emergency Class.

Registration Requirements

When the Emergency Class is open, an applicant for a certificate of registration in the Emergency Class will be required to meet the registration requirements as set out in section 63.1 of the Registration Regulation (O. Reg 596/94); these include:

  1. Education

    An applicant for registration must:
    1. Have graduated from an approved Canadian Respiratory Therapy program; or
    2. Have demonstrated through the CRTO assessment process that they have the required entry-to-practice competencies.

  2. Language Proficiency

    An applicant for registration must be able to communicate effectively in English or French in a healthcare environment. For more information, please see the Language Proficiency Requirements Policy.
  3. Eligibility to work in Canada

    An applicant for registration must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada or be authorized under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) to engage in the practice of respiratory therapy.
  4. Currency requirement

    An applicant must have met the education (or assessment) requirements within the three years immediately preceding their application for registration unless the applicant was practising respiratory therapy for at least 1,125 hours in a jurisdiction outside Ontario in which respiratory therapy is regulated within that three-year period.
  5. Suitability to Practice/Good Character

    An applicant for a certificate of registration must:
    1. Fully disclose details of any criminal offence of which the applicant has been found guilty, including any offence under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada) or the Food and Drugs Act (Canada).
    2. Fully disclose details of every professional misconduct, incompetence, incapacity or other similar proceeding that they are the subject of and that relates to their registration or licensure in Ontario in another profession or another jurisdiction in respiratory therapy or another profession.
    3. Fully disclose details of every finding of professional misconduct, incompetence, incapacity or other similar finding that they previously have been the subject of while registered or licensed in Ontario in another profession or another jurisdiction in respiratory therapy or another profession.
    4. In addition, the applicant must satisfy the CRTO that their past and present conduct affords reasonable grounds for belief that the applicant,
      1. is mentally competent to practise respiratory therapy,
      2. will practise respiratory therapy with decency, integrity and honesty and in accordance with the law, and
      3. will display an appropriately professional attitude.

Emergency Certificate of Registration Conditions

All Emergency Certificates of Registration are subject to the following conditions:

A Member registered with the Emergency Certificate of Registration must:
    1. At the first reasonable opportunity, advise every employer of any terms, conditions and limitations that apply to their Emergency Certificate of Registration if their employment is in the field of respiratory therapy;
    2. Only perform a controlled act that is authorized to the profession if it is performed under the general supervision of a Member who holds a certificate in the General Class of Registration and who is available to be present at the site on 10 minutes notice; and
    3. Not delegate a controlled act

In addition, certificates in the Emergency Class are subject to the conditions listed in section 54 of the Registration Regulation, which apply to all other certificates of registration issued by the CRTO.

A Member registered with the Emergency Certificate of Registration must use RT(E) as their designation and may use the Respiratory Therapist (Emergency) as their professional title.