June Council Meeting Update

CPSM Council is the governing and leadership board responsible for regulating the medical profession and protecting the public interest in Manitoba. Council meets four times a year; the most recent meeting took place on June 24. Below are the updates from the meeting.

Approved: Regulatory Changes to Address Emergency Room Shortages

Council approved the proposed amendments to CPSM General Regulation 163/2018 to add a third provisional class of registration for International Medical Graduates (IMG)/Internationally Trained Physicians, Provisional (Other Approved Training).

The Provisional (Other Approved Training) class will enable IMGs/ITPs (Internationally Trained Physicians) who do not meet specific requirements for traditional provisional specialty or family practice pathways, but possess satisfactory training and experience, to practice in Manitoba. This class supports timely access to qualified and competent physicians while maintaining CPSM’s core mandate of public protection and would be activated only in situations of urgent system need.

Registrants in this class will be required to work toward meeting the requirements for full practising registration, including achieving a successful outcome in the Manitoba Practice Assessment Program (MPAP), where applicable.

A public consultation was held May 6 - June 5, 2025.

Approved: New Standard of Practice - Entering a New Practice Setting

Council enacted the new Standard of Practice – Entering a New Practice Setting, effective October 1, 2026. This standard sets out expectations for registrants entering a new practice setting and for registrants in the practice setting receiving the new physicians.

A survey was distributed to full registrants and clinical assistants in the fall of 2025. Survey responses support the principles of the new standard of practice.

A final report is being developed; the data it contains will support the implementation of the standard this fall. 

Council approved several regulation amendments to be sent for public consultation:

1. Governance Policy and The Affairs of the College Bylaw Amendments

Council approved the proposed amendments to the Governance Policy and the Affairs of the College Bylaw for public consultation.

The Affairs of the College Bylaw and the Governance Policy have sections that set out the expectations and responsibilities regarding Councillors’ roles and behaviours.

2. Regulation Status Update - Reducing Barriers for Provisional Registration of Family Registrants

Council approved this regulation change to the CPSM General Regulation to be distributed for consultation in English/French.

A current pathway for provisional registration in family medicine requires that the applicant have completed at least one year of postgraduate clinical training in family medicine and at least three years of practice experience in family medicine in the preceding five-year period. In 2024, this prerequisite was reviewed by the Manitoba Faculty and CPSM’s Board of Assessors. Both recommended amending the prerequisite of recent experience to a total of at least 960 hours of direct patient clinical practice experience in family medicine in the preceding 36 months. A public consultation on the proposed amendment was held in April 2025.

Following the consultation, the proposed amendment (subclause 3.19(1)(b) of the CPSM General Regulation 163/2018) was approved by Council with the addition of “for recency of practice; and a total of two years of independent practice since postgraduate training.” This wording was returned to government for assent in December 2025.

Since the consultation lacked the required French translation of the amendment, government has advised another consultation is required. The amendments remain the same.

3. Accredited Facilities Bylaw Amendment

Council approved proposed amendments to the Accredited Facilities Bylaw for 30 days of public consultation to gather feedback from registrants, the public, and partners.

 The Executive Committee has reviewed these documents to identify improvements. Amendments include:

1.    The modification of Section 36 of the Affairs of the College Bylaw to allow for the suspension of a Councillor under certain conditions.

2.    Amendments to the Code of Conduct for Councillors in the Governance Policy.

3.    A change in the Governance Policy as to who is eligible to be the   Chair of the Investigations Committee (IC) and which committee members can chair IC panels.

Council Committee Appointments

Council approved the new 2026/2027 committee memberships as recommended by the Executive Committee. They are as follows:

Executive Committee: Ms. Lynette Magnus is appointed as the public representative to succeed Ms. Marvelle McPherson.

Investigation Committee: Dr. Rafiq Andani, Dr. Rizwan Manji and Dr. Lisa Monkman are appointed as CPSM member (registrant) representatives.

Central Standards Committee: Dr. Yasaman Yardizadeh is appointed as the regulated associate registrant. Mr. Neil Cohen is appointed as a public representative to succeed Ms. Marvelle McPherson.

Board of Assessors: Dr. Nicole Vosters is appointed as a registrant physician.

Working Group update: Prescribing Benzodiazepines & Z-Drugs

The working group led by Dr. Charles Penner has met on four occasions. The group has surveyed CPSM registrants and pharmacists. A jurisdictional scan of other provincial medical regulatory authorities’ standards of practice has been completed, as has a review of the 2025 Manitoba Prescription Opioid Atlas and an analysis of data related to Benzodiazepine and Z-hypnotic use, including the risks and benefits.

The goal of the working group is to combine the two current standards—Standard of Practice for Prescribing Opioids and Standard of Practice for Prescribing Benzodiazepines & Z-Drugs —into one shorter, principle-based document.

Work on Contextual Information documentation will follow once the revised standard is finalized.

Approved: Fee Bylaw

Council approved the amendments to the Fee Bylaw.

Approvals included:

•  An “Other approved Training” (OAT) registration class was added to the Bylaw. 
• The addition of a new fee for filing a Reinstatement Appeal. 

Certificate of Practice Fees

As per the Fee Bylaw, the annual registration fee increases automatically every year by the rate of the Manitoba Consumer Price Index of 2 per cent. No additional increments will be added to this year’s fees. 

New or amended policies

Council approved the following new, amended or repealed policies.

For more information on Council members, meetings, and committees, click here.