Hearing Awareness Project

Unhappiness

What to do if you are not happy with service you received from your ENT, Audiologist, Speech-Language Pathologist, Hearing Aid Dispenser or Service Provider.

Complaints or concerns about health care services or business services can be directed to a number of sources.

First Step:

Concerns should first be discussed with the member of the health care team who provided or supervised the care, such as the doctor, audiologist, or speech-language pathologist. Or if the problem is business related, speak to the technician or dispenser who sold you the aid or device.

Taking the next Step:

If you are unsatisfied with this discussion you can send your complaint to the health facility that provided the care, and then to the provincial or national professional association of which they are a member. In the case of a business complaint, you can send your complaint to the manager of the business or the provincial authority responsible for the provincial hearing aid act, licensing, or professional regulatory/licensing agency.

Complaining about your ENT Physician or Doctor

Address your concerns first to the doctor, then to the health care facility second, thirdly to the provincial medical association, or to the Canadian Medical Association (CMA).

The Canadian Medical Association
Committee on Ethics
1867 Alta Vista Drive Ottawa
Ontario, K1G 3Y6
1-800-267-9703
British Columbia
British Columbia Medical Association
115 - 1665 W. Broadway
Vancouver, BC V6J 5A4
Phone: 604-736-5551 or 1-800-665-2262
For General Inquiries: communications@bcma.bc.ca
Alberta
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Medical Association
Manitoba
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba
Ontario
Ontario Medical Association
Québec
Collège des médecins du Québec (The Québec College of Physicians)
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association
New Brunswick
New Brunswick Medical Society
Nova Scotia
Doctors Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island
Medical Society of Prince Edward Island
Yukon
Yukon Medical Council
Yukon Medical Association
Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories Medical Association - Phone: 867-920-4575
Nunavut
Nunavut c/o the Canadian Medical Association

Other agencies that can help support your concerns

  1. Canadian Hard of Hearing Association - www.chha.ca
  2. Local service providers to the deaf and hard of hearing - Locate one in your local telephone directory
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Canadian Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists Licensing Bodies

"The purpose of the Licensing Bodies is, in the interest of the public, to regulate the professions, and to govern its members in accordance with the relevant provincial health act, and the regulations and by-laws adopted by the Licensing Body and the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists"

Audiologist: Address your concerns to the audiologist first, to the health care facility second, thirdly to the provincial audiology association or provincial business authority responsible for the facility. You can also contact the Canadian Academy of Audiology (CAA) or the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (CASLPA). CAA and CASLPA are the two national associations representing this occupation.

Speech-Language Pathologist: Address your concerns to the SLP first, to the health care facility second, thirdly to the provincial association of speech-language pathologists or the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (CASLPA).

National

Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
920-1 Nicholas St.
Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 7B7
Phone: 1-800-259-8519
E-mail: caslpa@caslpa.ca

The Canadian Academy of Audiology
P.O Box 54541
Toronto, Ontario, M5M 4N5
Phone: 1-800-264-5106
E-mail: caa@canadianaudiology.ca
British Columbia
College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC
410 - 999 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC V5Z 1K5
Tel: 604-568-1568, Fax: 604-568-1566
E-mail Contacts: registrar@cshhpbc.org
Alberta
Alberta College of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
#209, 3132 Parsons Road
Edmonton, Alberta
T6N 1L6
Phone: (800) 537-0589 (toll free within Alberta) (780) 944-1609
Fax: (780) 408-3925
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
Regina, SK S3P 3H1
Phone: (306) 757-3990
Fax: (306) 757-3986
E-mail: saslpa@sasktel.net
Manitoba
Manitoba Speech and Hearing Association (MSHA)
2-333 Vaughan St.
Winnipeg MB R3B 3J9
Phone: (204) 453-4539
Fax: (204) 488-1881
Ontario
College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO)
3080 Yonge Street, Suite 5060
Toronto ON M4N 3N1
Phone: (416) 975-5347 or 1-800-993-9459
Fax: (416) 975-8394
E-mail: caslpo@caslpo.com
Québec
Ordre des orthophonistes et audiologistes du Québec (OOAQ)
235 boul. René-Lévesque Est, bureau 601
Montreal, Quebec H2X 1N8
Phone: (514) 282-9123
Fax: (514) 282-9541
E-mail: info@ooaq.qc.ca
New Brunswick
New Brunswick Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (NBASLPA)
147 Ellerdale Avenue
Moncton NB E1A 3M8
Phone: (506) 858-1788
Fax: (506) 854-0343
E-mail: nbaslpa@nb.aibn.com
Nova Scotia
The Speech Hearing Association of Nova Scotia
P.O. Box 775
Halifax Central CRO
Halifax, NS, B3J 2V2
Phone: 1-800-259-8519
E-mail: rainbird@dal.ca
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island Speech & Hearing Association
P.O Box 20076
Charlottetown, PE, C1A 9E3
Phone: 1-800-259-8519
E-mail: cmgrant@pei.sympatico.ca
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (NLASLPA)
P.O. Box 21212
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
A1A 5B2
E-mail: info@nlaslpa.ca
Northwest Territories
Association of Northwest Territorial Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (ANTSLPA)
550 Byrne Road, P.O. Box 10
Yellowknife NT X1A 2N1
Phone: (867) 669-3142, Fax:(867) 920-4271
E-mail: Katie_Scozzafava@gov.nt.ca
Yukon
Yukon Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Association (YSLPAA)
c/o Wendy Kitchen, Special Programs, Department of Education
P.O. Box 2703
Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6
Phone: (867) 393-6423, Fax: (867) 393-6374
E-mail: wendy.kitchen@gov.yk.ca
Nunavut
Nunavut does not have a licensing body. Address your concerns to:
Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
920-1 Nicholas St.
Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 7B7
Phone: 1-800-259-8519
E-mail: caslpa@caslpa.ca

The Canadian Academy of Audiology
P.O Box 54541
Toronto, Ontario, M5M 4N5
Phone: 1-800-264-5106
E-mail: caa@canadianaudiology.ca

Other agencies that can help support your concerns

  1. Canadian Hard of Hearing Association - www.chha.ca
  2. Local service providers to the deaf and hard of hearing - Locate one in your local telephone directory
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Complaining against your Hearing Aid Dispenser or Hearing Instrument Practitioner

Address your concerns to the Dispenser first, to the business manager second, thirdly to the provincial authority responsible for the business and /or the Better Business Bureau. For your convenience we have provided, where available, a link to the Act in your province that governs the sale of hearing aids. We have also provided a link or mailing address to the regulatory body responsible for hearing aid sales and services.

British Columbia
 
Board of Hearing Aid Dealers and Consultants (Regulatory Body)
Alberta
Health Professions Act - Hearing Aid practitioners Profession Regulation
College of Hearing Aid practitioners of Alberta regulates hearing aid dispensing in Alberta under the Health Professions Act. Contact 1-866-990-4327 or E-mail registrar@ainsliehearing.com
Saskatchewan
The Hearing Aid Act - Governs the provinces hearing aid and Audiology program - to be repealed.
The Hearing Aid Sales and Services Act - Regulates private businesses in Saskatchewan involved in the selling of hearing aids. (Not yet proclaimed)

Saskatchewan Hearing Instrument practitioners Society (SHIPS)
2160 Broad St
Regina, SK, S4P 1Y5
Phone: 306-359-7572 or E-mail: cv.beltone@mellor.ca
Manitoba
The Hearing Aid Act
Consumer and Corporate Affairs - A Division of Manitoba Finance - Consumers' Bureau "regulates the licensing of hearing aid dealers through the Hearing Aid Board which is appointed by the Health Minister. The Act covers the examination and certification of hearing aid dealers. The Bureau investigates breaches of the Act while the Board may mediate complaints."
Ontario
Hearing aid dispensing in Ontario is governed by the Regulated Health Professions Act, Sec. 31
Hearing aid dispensing is regulated by the Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council
Québec
Hearing-Aid Acousticians Act
Ordre des audioprothésistes du Québec (Québec Hearing Aid Dispensers Association)
Newfoundland
Hearing Aid Dealers Act
Health and Community Services, Govt. of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador Hearing Aid Dealers Board
P.O. Box 28159, Avalon Mall Postal Outlet
48 Kentmount Road
St. John's, NL A1B 1X0
Prince Edward Island
PEI does not have legislation that deals specifically with the sale and dispensing of hearing aids. Hearing aid sales and services is governed by other acts such as the:
New Brunswick
NB does not have legislation that deals specifically with the sale and dispensing of hearing aids. Hearing aid sales and services is governed by other acts such as the:
Nova Scotia
NS does not have legislation that deals specifically with the sale and dispensing of hearing aids. Hearing aid sales and services is governed by other acts such as the:
Nunavut
Nunavut does not have legislation that deals specifically with the sale and dispensing of hearing aids.
Northwest Territories
NWT does not have legislation that deals specifically with the sale and dispensing of hearing aids. Hearing aid sales and services is governed by other acts such as the:
Yukon
Yukon does not have legislation that deals specifically with the sale and dispensing of hearing aids. Instead the Department of Health and Social Services - Hearing Services, provides a complete range of Audiology and hearing aid services to Yukon residents of all ages. Complaints should go directly to DHSS.

Hearing aids and devices purchased Via the Internet or Mail Order:

Can't find the Act/Law under which the sale of hearing aids is being regulated? An example of provincial legislation under which hearing aids, devices and services may be found includes the following:

  • Sale of Goods Acts
  • Consumer Protection Acts
  • Unfair Business Practices Acts
  • Direct Sales Acts
  • Unconscionable Transactions Acts
  • Competition Acts
  • Hearing Aid Acts

Other agencies that can help support your concerns:

  1. Canadian Hard of Hearing Association
  2. Canadian Council of Better Business Bureaus - Locate a BBB near you.
  3. Consumer Connections - The office of Consumer Affairs, Industry Canada

 

Copyright © 2009 the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association (CHHA)
Direct commercial exploitation is not permitted. No warranty of accuracy is given concerning the contents of the information contained in this publication. To the extent permitted by law, no liability (including liability to any person by reason of negligence) will be accepted by CHHA its subsidiaries or employees for any direct, or indirect loss or damage caused by omissions from or inaccuracies in this document. CHHA reserves the right to change details in this publication without notice.

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