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For clinics, surgical centres and health systems in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec

Canadian clinic accreditation, run from one system with wai.

wai runs booking, clinical notes, patient messaging in English, French or any language, payments and records, and keeps each of them as evidence a CPSO inspector, a CPSBC assessor or an Accreditation Canada surveyor can read. Patients see the price before they commit and get a reply in their own language, and the AI scribe drafts the note for the physician to sign, so wai is built to help you achieve accreditation.

Updated . Every Canada fact is checked against accreditation.ca and the other official pages cited below.

A clinician reading a tablet in a lounge chair high above Toronto at dusk, the CN Tower and the city lights beyond the glass

For

Private clinics, out-of-hospital premises, surgical and diagnostic centres, and health systems

Ontario

CPSO premises inspection, and Accreditation Canada for community surgical and diagnostic centres

British Columbia

CPSBC accreditation of non-hospital medical and surgical facilities

Quebec

Santé Québec authorization and accreditation of specialized medical centres

Records

wai hosts each clinic's records in its own country, under that country's rules. We set this up with you before go-live.

What a short notice Canadian survey looks like with wai

A Qmentum Global on-site assessment comes at short notice, a CPSO nurse inspector can ask for any chart, and a CPSBC assessor traces a real patient from admission to discharge. With wai, the patient booked online, saw the price and the cancellation policy, got a reply in French or English within the hour, and left with a signed note behind them. The surveyor sees the same record your team works from, so the evidence is already there.

Who inspects and accredits Canadian clinics in 2026?

Clinic oversight is provincial. In Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec a different body checks a different kind of premises, and Accreditation Canada accredits hospitals and health systems across the country.

Five programmes across Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec and Canada as a whole. Open a programme for its standards.1

01Ontario, CPSO Out-of-Hospital Premises Inspection ProgramEvery premises outside a hospital where physicians perform procedures under general, regional or parenteral anesthesia or sedation, or certain cosmetic and pain procedures under local anesthesia, is inspected by the CPSO.10 OHP standards
  1. Co-operation with the Out-of-Hospital Premises Inspection Program
  2. Medical Director
  3. Physicians Practising in OHPs
  4. Physical Space
  5. Drugs and Equipment
  6. Patient Selection
  7. Procedures
  8. Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC)
  9. Adverse Events
  10. Quality Assurance

Ontario, CPSO Out-of-Hospital Premises Inspection Program on cpso.on.ca

02Ontario, ICHSC Quality Assurance Program by Accreditation CanadaCommunity surgical and diagnostic centres licensed under the Integrated Community Health Services Centres Act, 2023 are inspected by Accreditation Canada every four years against the ICHSC Standards.10 sections of the ICHSC Surgical/Medical Standard
  1. Organizational Structure, Personnel Policies and Training, and Management
  2. Quality Management System
  3. Physical Environment
  4. Medical Devices, Equipment and Reprocessing
  5. Pre-Procedure Process
  6. Procedure Process
  7. Medication Management
  8. Post-Procedure Process
  9. Information System and Decision Support
  10. Infection Prevention and Control and other Safety

Ontario, ICHSC Quality Assurance Program by Accreditation Canada on ichsc.accreditation.ca

03British Columbia, CPSBC Non-Hospital Medical and Surgical Facilities Accreditation ProgramOnly facilities accredited by the NHMSFAP may provide the procedures in Schedule G of the CPSBC Bylaws. Over 50 standards are assessed every 46 to 48 months, using patient tracers.7 standard areas
  1. Facilities management
  2. Patient experience
  3. Procedure-specific management
  4. Emergency preparedness
  5. Building services
  6. Infection prevention and control
  7. Safety and risk

British Columbia, CPSBC Non-Hospital Medical and Surgical Facilities Accreditation Program on cpsbc.ca

04Quebec, specialized medical centres under Santé QuébecA specialized medical centre needs a Santé Québec authorization, valid for five years, and must have its services accredited by a recognised accreditation body within three years and keep that accreditation.6 obligations
  1. Santé Québec authorization naming the place, the treatments, the operating rooms and the beds
  2. Accreditation within three years, kept at all times
  3. Recognized practices for the quality of services and for infection prevention and control
  4. A medical and professional services director chosen from the centre's physicians
  5. An activity report to Santé Québec by 31 March each year
  6. The total foreseeable cost of pre and post operative services told to the patient

Quebec, specialized medical centres under Santé Québec on legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca

05Canada, Accreditation Canada Qmentum GlobalQmentum Global for Canadian Accreditation runs on a four-year cycle of self-assessment, survey instruments, attestation and a short-notice on-site assessment by third-party surveyors, against HSO and Accreditation Canada standards.6 components
  1. Self-Assessment
  2. Survey instruments, the HSO Global Workforce Survey and the HSO Governing Body Assessment
  3. Attestation
  4. On-Site Assessment
  5. Quality Improvement Action Plan
  6. Required Safety Practices, 24 in place of 38 Required Organizational Practices

Canada, Accreditation Canada Qmentum Global on accreditation.ca

What evidence do Canadian assessors and inspectors look at?

Assessors judge care as it is delivered, from observation, interviews and records.2

  1. 01

    Patient tracers

    A CPSBC team follows a patient from admission through the procedure, recovery and discharge.

  2. 02

    Patient medical records

    Charts reviewed for completeness and accuracy by the CPSO, the CPSBC and Accreditation Canada.

  3. 03

    Policies and procedures

    The facility manual, sent ahead of the visit for an ICHSC inspection and reviewed on site.

  4. 04

    Personnel files

    Qualifications, registration, privileges and training for every person who works there.

  5. 05

    Maintenance records

    HVAC, equipment, fire, medical gas and generator records, in British Columbia.

  6. 06

    Quality records

    Quality assurance minutes, incident reviews and drill records.

How is each decision made?

Each body decides on its own terms, and each one can stop procedures when patients are at risk.3

  1. Pass, Pass with Conditions or FailThe CPSO Premises Inspection Committee, for an Ontario OHP. A Fail stops all OHP procedures.
  2. Accredited or Not AccreditedAccreditation Canada's recommendation for an Ontario ICHSC, with any licensing action decided by the Ministry of Health.
  3. Provisional, full, or with conditionsThe NHMSFAP Committee, for a BC facility. Full accreditation is a four-year term with a five-year certificate.
  4. Accredited, and keptA Quebec specialized medical centre, within three years of its authorization, by a recognised accreditation body.
  1. 4 years

    between routine CPSO inspections of every out-of-hospital premises, or sooner if the CPSO decides.3

  2. 46 to 48 months

    between formal CPSBC assessments against every applicable NHMSFAP standard.2

  3. 30 days

    for an Ontario ICHSC to submit corrective actions after its Accreditation Canada inspection.4

  • After a CPSO Pass with Conditions or Fail, the premises has 14 days for written submissions, and after a Fail a follow-up inspection may come within 60 days of them.
  • A CPSBC critical nonconformance is reported within two business days, and patient care stops until the facility answers it.
  • An ICHSC hears a verbal report at the end of the visit, and receives the written report within 14 days.
  • A Quebec CMS renewal asks for the accreditation date, the accreditation body and its evaluation report.

What is changing in 2026?

Four changes are in force or under way, and one is still pending.

  1. In force. Since 1 April 2024, Accreditation Canada is the inspecting body for Ontario's integrated community health services centres, replacing the CPSO and the College of Midwives of Ontario. Mid-cycle self-assessments become mandatory after a centre's first Accreditation Canada inspection.
  2. In force. CPSBC's Person-centred Care standard, version 1.2, took effect on 1 May 2026, and its Patient Safety Incident Management standard on 1 July 2026.4
  3. In force. Qmentum Global replaces 38 Required Organizational Practices with 24 Required Safety Practices.
  4. In force. Quebec specialized medical centres now hold a Santé Québec authorization under chapter G-1.021. A permit issued under the old Act counts as an authorization until it expires.
  5. Pending. The Quebec duty to be accredited within three years applies until Santé Québec develops a national programme on the quality of services under section 74 of G-1.021.

Which body checks your clinic, province by province?

What you need depends on the province and on what you do in the room. Physicians are licensed by their College in every province, and premises rules sit beside that licence.5

ProvinceBodyLaw or ruleWhat it covers
OntarioCollege of Physicians and Surgeons of OntarioMedicine Act, 1991, Ontario Regulation 114/94, Part XIOut-of-hospital premises using general, regional or parenteral anesthesia or sedation, and certain cosmetic and pain procedures. Inspected every 4 years. A new premises is inspected within 180 days, for a $500 fee.
OntarioAccreditation Canada, for the Ministry of HealthIntegrated Community Health Services Centres Act, 2023, and Ontario Regulation 215/23, in force 25 September 2023Community surgical and diagnostic centres, over 900 licensees, most of them diagnostic imaging. Inspected every 4 years since 1 April 2024.
British ColumbiaCollege of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, NHMSFAPCPSBC Bylaws Part 13.1, under the Health Professions and Occupations ActNon-hospital medical and surgical facilities providing Schedule G procedures, in anesthesia classes 1 to 3. Assessed every 46 to 48 months.
QuebecSanté QuébecAct respecting the governance of the health and social services system, chapter G-1.021, sections 555 and 574 to 593Specialized medical centres offering hip or knee replacement, cataract surgery or other treatments set by regulation. Authorization for 5 years, accreditation within 3.
QuebecCollège des médecins du QuébecProfessional inspection of physiciansInspects physicians, including a check of the place of practice and a review of selected records. It does not accredit centres.
Canada wideAccreditation Canada, Qmentum GlobalAccreditation, mandatory for health systems and hospitals in several provincesHospitals, health systems, ambulatory care and other organizations, on a four-year cycle. Trusted by over 9,300 locations.

The Quebec terms, in French

Santé Québec and the Collège work in French. These are the names on their forms and in the law.

  1. Centre médical spécialisé, CMS, is a specialized medical centre.6
  2. Autorisation CMS is the Santé Québec authorization to operate one.
  3. Agrément is accreditation, by an organisme d’agrément reconnu par Santé Québec.
  4. Directeur des services médicaux et professionnels is the medical and professional services director.
  5. Loi sur la gouvernance du système de santé et de services sociaux is chapter G-1.021.
  6. Collège des médecins du Québec, CMQ, is the college that licenses and inspects physicians.

What should Canadian accreditation software actually run?

wai runs booking, notes, messaging, payments and access, and each one leaves a record mapped to the programme that checks your clinic.

  1. 01

    Appointments and booking

    Online booking from your own website, every clinician's diary read from their calendar, reminders, rebooking after a missed visit and waitlist offers when a slot opens.

    Evidences Ontario, CPSO Out-of-Hospital Premises Inspection ProgramBritish Columbia, CPSBC Non-Hospital Medical and Surgical Facilities Accreditation ProgramOntario, ICHSC Quality Assurance Program by Accreditation Canada

    For patients
    Online booking at any hour, with a reminder before the visit.
    For the business
    Fewer missed appointments, and cancelled slots offered to the waitlist.
    On the record
    Every booking, reminder and change, with a time and a name.
  2. 02

    Billing and payments

    Card payments into your own Stripe account, the cancellation policy shown at booking, invoices, statements and reconciliation, with an export for your accountant.

    Evidences Quebec, specialized medical centres under Santé QuébecBritish Columbia, CPSBC Non-Hospital Medical and Surgical Facilities Accreditation Program

    For patients
    A clear price and policy before they commit, and an invoice in their app.
    For the business
    Payments reconciled against visits, with an export for your accountant.
    On the record
    What was charged, when, against which visit, and the policy the patient saw.
  3. 03

    AI scribe and clinical notes

    The note, letters and referrals written from the consultation, cited to published clinical guidelines, with the transcript beside the note, for the clinician to read, edit and sign.

    Evidences Ontario, CPSO Out-of-Hospital Premises Inspection ProgramBritish Columbia, CPSBC Non-Hospital Medical and Surgical Facilities Accreditation ProgramOntario, ICHSC Quality Assurance Program by Accreditation CanadaQuebec, specialized medical centres under Santé Québec

    For patients
    The clinician's attention stays on them during the consultation.
    For the business
    Less time spent writing notes after clinic.
    On the record
    A contemporaneous note, signed, with the time, the signature and the source it cites.
  4. 04

    Follow-ups and patient messaging

    WhatsApp, email and calls in one thread per patient, replies drafted in the patient's own language for your team to approve, a response clock on every new enquiry, and recalls a clinician approves.

    Evidences British Columbia, CPSBC Non-Hospital Medical and Surgical Facilities Accreditation ProgramOntario, ICHSC Quality Assurance Program by Accreditation CanadaCanada, Accreditation Canada Qmentum Global

    For patients
    A reply in the language they wrote in, approved by your team.
    For the business
    More enquiries answered within the hour, when they are most likely to book.
    On the record
    The whole conversation on one record, with response times.
  5. 05

    Referrals, consent and audit trails

    Recording consent taken at booking, referrals written from the visit, patient flags for controlled drugs and safeguarding notes, and every read of a record logged against a named account.

    Evidences Ontario, CPSO Out-of-Hospital Premises Inspection ProgramBritish Columbia, CPSBC Non-Hospital Medical and Surgical Facilities Accreditation ProgramCanada, Accreditation Canada Qmentum Global

    For patients
    Flags and checks in the record at the point of care.
    For the business
    Incident reviews that start from the audit trail, with times and names.
    On the record
    Who saw what, who changed what, and when, to the minute.
  6. 06

    Staff access and accountability

    Named accounts for every person, and role-based access enforced in the database, so every action sits under a name.

    Evidences Ontario, CPSO Out-of-Hospital Premises Inspection ProgramCanada, Accreditation Canada Qmentum Global

    For patients
    Their record seen only by staff whose role allows it.
    For the business
    Access and actions tied to named people, in the same system as the record.
    On the record
    Who holds which role, and every action taken under it.
  7. 07

    Reporting

    For patients
    A copy of their record when they ask for it.
    For the business
    Weekly reports for leaders on response times, the front desk and takings.
    On the record
    Reports for any period, produced on the day they are asked for.

Prices for clinics, groups and hospitals are published on the wai pricing page, and you can request a demo of the full platform.

A man in a dark suit standing at a wall of tall windows, looking out over Vancouver and the mountains at sunset

How does wai evidence each Canadian programme?

For each programme, the records wai keeps, how you produce them, and what changes for patients and the business.

Ontario, CPSO Out-of-Hospital Premises Inspection Program

The charts, consent and audit trail a nurse inspector reads, kept on one record as care happens.

  • Signed, timed notes for every procedure, ready for a chart review
  • Consent recorded at booking and in the signed note
  • Every read and change of a record logged against a named account
  • Procedure volumes for any period, for the Quality Assurance Standard

On request. Asked for a chart, open the visit. The note, the consent, the signature and the time sit together.

For patients
Their consent and their procedure documented before they leave.
For the business
A chart review that takes minutes, and less risk of a Pass with Conditions.

Ontario, ICHSC Quality Assurance Program by Accreditation Canada

Pre-procedure, procedure and post-procedure records on one timeline, for a one or two day inspection.

  • Bookings, reminders and changes, each with a time and a name
  • Notes and referrals written from the visit, signed by the clinician
  • Complaints on the patient's own thread, with response times, for the complaints record
  • Reports for any period, for the mid-cycle self-assessment

On request. Asked to show the post-procedure process, open a patient's follow-up messages and the recall a clinician approved.

For patients
Follow-up arrives when the plan says it should.
For the business
Corrective actions answered with records, inside the 30 days the program allows.

British Columbia, CPSBC Non-Hospital Medical and Surgical Facilities Accreditation Program

One record per patient from booking to discharge, the path a patient tracer follows.

  • The booking, the consent and the pre-admission messages, in order
  • The signed note and the discharge letter, written from the visit
  • Follow-up after discharge on the patient's own thread
  • The audit trail a patient safety incident analysis starts from

On request. Asked to trace a patient, open their record and walk the assessor from the first message to the follow-up.

For patients
One team, one record, from the first enquiry to the last check-in.
For the business
Mandatory criteria met in practice, with the documentation to show it.

Quebec, specialized medical centres under Santé Québec

The price, the consent and the treatment record, in French or English, on one record per patient.

  • The price and the cancellation policy shown before the patient commits
  • Replies drafted in French, English or the patient's own language, approved by your team
  • Signed notes for every specialized medical treatment
  • Treatment counts for any period, for the 31 March activity report

On request. Asked what a patient was told about cost, open the booking and show the price and policy they saw.

For patients
The full cost known before surgery, in their own language.
For the business
The annual report and the accreditation file drawn from the same records.

Canada, Accreditation Canada Qmentum Global

Records that hold up at short notice, because they are written as the work is done.

  • Contemporaneous notes, signed, with the transcript beside them
  • Every read and change of a record logged against a named account
  • Weekly reports for leaders on response times, the front desk and takings
  • The patient's own record exportable on request

On request. Asked how leaders monitor quality, show the weekly reports they already read.

For patients
Answered the same day, in their own language.
For the business
An attestation backed by records, and less to rebuild before the on-site visit.

What do patients and the business gain?

Published research on response times, ambient scribes and appointment reminders.

  1. 7x

    An enquiry answered within the hour is nearly seven times as likely to become a real conversation.7

  2. 30%

    Clinicians using an ambient scribe did 30% less work after hours.8

  3. 23%

    Patients sent a notification before their visit were 23% more likely to attend.9

How does wai surface accreditation evidence on request?

What assessors ask for, where it is kept, and how it is produced.

  1. Patient medical recordsThe patient record, beside the transcriptOpen the visit to see the note, transcript, signature and time together.
  2. ConsentThe booking and the noteThe consent taken at booking, and the consent discussion in the signed note.
  3. Patient tracerOne record per patientThe booking, messages, note, discharge letter and follow-up, in order.
  4. Audit trailsEvery recordWho read or changed it, under which account, to the minute.
  5. Incident analysisThe record and its historyThe exact timeline of events from the audit trail, for your own incident report.
  6. ComplaintsThe patient's threadEvery message and complaint with response times, for your complaints record.
  7. Cost told to the patientBooking and paymentsThe price and cancellation policy shown before the patient committed.
  8. Procedure volumesReportsCounts for any period, for the CPSO Quality Assurance Standard or the Quebec activity report.

How do you prepare for a Canadian inspection or accreditation visit?

A readiness checklist, by body.

01Ontario OHP, CPSO

  • The Medical Director's annual attestation, done.
  • At least two quality assurance committee meetings at each site this year, minuted with attendance.
  • A 12-month review of adverse events, with the changes made.
  • Current records for every staff member, with registration and qualifications.

02Ontario ICHSC, Accreditation Canada

  • Documents ready about 1.5 months before the visit.
  • A complaints record reviewed for trends every quarter.
  • A quality assurance advisor and advisory committee in place.
  • A plan to answer non-conformances within 30 days.

03British Columbia, CPSBC

  • The pre-accreditation questionnaire answered against every criterion.
  • Procedures booked on the assessment day, so a patient tracer can be observed.
  • Personnel files, patient records, the policy manual and maintenance records to hand.
  • A patient safety incident log, with critical incidents reported within one business day.

04Quebec CMS and Qmentum

  • The accreditation date and body on file, for the Santé Québec renewal.
  • The 31 March activity report, with treatment counts by type.
  • The Qmentum self-assessment and attestation done in their year of the cycle.
  • Leaders reading the same reports the surveyors will ask about.

What will an inspector or surveyor ask you?

Questions inspectors and surveyors commonly ask, what to show, and where it is kept.

01Show me this patient's care, from the first contact to discharge.

What to show

The booking, the consent, the procedure note, the discharge and the follow-up.

Where wai has it ready

One record per patient holds each step in order, with times and names.

02How do you know your charts are complete and accurate?

What to show

Notes made at the time, signed, and a regular record review.

Where wai has it ready

Notes are written during the visit and signed with a time, and an amended note is signed again.

03How is consent obtained and recorded?

What to show

What the patient was told, when they agreed, and where it is written.

Where wai has it ready

Consent is taken at booking, and the consent discussion is in the signed note.

04Walk me through your last adverse event.

What to show

The report, the timeline, the analysis and what changed.

Where wai has it ready

The audit trail gives the exact timeline, to the minute, for your own incident report.

05How do you handle a complaint?

What to show

Your process, the record of each complaint and the response times.

Where wai has it ready

Every message and complaint sits on the patient's thread, with response times.

06Who can see patient records?

What to show

Roles, access controls and an access log.

Where wai has it ready

Role-based access enforced in the database, and every read logged against a named account.

07How do patients know what their care will cost?

What to show

The price and policies, shown before the patient commits.

Where wai has it ready

The price and cancellation policy are shown at booking, and the invoice sits in the patient's app.

What rides on inspection and accreditation in Canada

A failed inspection stops procedures, outcomes are made public, and every programme carries its own fees.

  1. Fail

    at a CPSO inspection means all OHP procedures stop, and the CPSO keeps a public record of inspection outcomes.3

  2. 900+

    community surgical and diagnostic centres are licensed in Ontario, each inspected by Accreditation Canada every four years.10

  3. C$3,000

    is the CPSBC application fee for provisional accreditation of a new non-hospital facility in British Columbia.11

  4. 9,300+

    health and social service locations across Canada take part in Qmentum Global, says Accreditation Canada.12

Questions

What is the best software for Canadian clinic accreditation?

The system your clinic already runs on, so the evidence is recorded as the work is done. Look for one record behind booking, notes, messaging, payments and access, with signed contemporaneous notes and a full audit trail. wai is built that way, to help you achieve accreditation.

Is there CPSO, CPSBC or Accreditation Canada approved software?

Accreditation Canada accredits health organizations and, in Ontario, inspects community surgical and diagnostic centres. It does not approve, certify or endorse software, wai included, and software cannot earn an accreditation decision on a provider's behalf. wai keeps the records your team uses to show your accrediting body how care is delivered, and your accrediting body decides the accreditation decision. The CPSO, the CPSBC and Santé Québec do not endorse software either.

Does my Ontario clinic need a CPSO inspection?

Yes, if physicians there perform procedures under general anesthesia, parenteral sedation or regional anesthesia other than a digital nerve block, or certain cosmetic or chronic pain procedures under local anesthesia. Clinical procedures with local anesthetic alone, minor dermatology and LASIK do not need notice to the CPSO.

Who inspects Ontario's community surgical and diagnostic centres now?

Accreditation Canada, since 1 April 2024. Ontario Regulation 215/23 under the Integrated Community Health Services Centres Act, 2023 names it the inspecting body, and the Ministry's Director decides any licensing action.

What does a new BC facility need before it opens?

Provisional accreditation from the CPSBC. An assessment is held when the facility is ready to open, a patient tracer follows within the first year, and full accreditation is a four-year term with a five-year certificate.

Does a Quebec specialized medical centre need accreditation?

Yes. It must have its services accredited by a body recognised by Santé Québec within three years of its authorization, and keep that accreditation. The rule applies until a national programme on the quality of services replaces it.

Does wai work in French?

Yes. Replies are drafted in the language the patient writes in, French, English or any other, and your team approves each one before it is sent.

Where does wai keep our records?

wai hosts each clinic's records in its own country, under that country's rules. We set this up with you before go-live. Encrypted, with a full audit log.

See your own diary, notes and inbox in a 15 minute demo.

On video, with your team, in English or French. Built to help you achieve accreditation. wai hosts each clinic's records in its own country, under that country's rules. We set this up with you before go-live.

team@wellnessa-i.com