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Ministry of Health

Office of the Assisted Living Registrar

Registering an Assisted Living Residence

Under the Community Care and Assisted Living Act, all publicly subsidized and private-pay assisted living operators in British Columbia must register their residences with Office of the Assisted Living Registrar (OALR). If a residence or a part of a residence meets the definition of an assisted living residence in the Act, the operator must register the residence before opening and beginning to operate. Before approving an application for registration, the Assisted Living Registrar must be satisfied that housing, hospitality services and personal assistance services will be provided to residents in a way that does not jeopardize their health or safety.

For assistance with determining whether to register a particular residence, please refer to the Should I Register My Residence? section of the website

The OALR maintains a register of publicly subsidized and private-pay residences. To find a registered assisted living residence in your community, see Finding An Assisted Living Residence.

Benefits of Assisted Living Registration

  • Registration increases public confidence. Residents, their families and the public can rely on the fact that operators of assisted living residences are required by law to provide certain services, some of which must be provided at a prescribed services level, and to meet and maintain provincial Health and Safety Standards.
  • If anyone has a concern about the health and safety of an assisted living resident that they cannot resolve with the operator directly, they know they have recourse through the Office of the Assisted Living Registrar. The Registrar will investigate their concerns and ensure that the operator complies with the Health and Safety Standards.
  • Financial institutions and funding bodies will have confidence that eligibility for registration includes an obligation to comply with provincial Health and Safety Standards and policies.
  • Operators can be proud that the Registrar considers that their residence meets the standards and is eligible for registration.

How to Apply for Registration

To apply for registration for an assisted living residence, follow these steps:

  • Get the application form and package.
  • Complete the self-assessment form.
  • Complete the application form.
  • Compile supporting documents and required information.
  • Enclose cheque(s) for required fees.
  • Submit the application form, supporting documents, required information and fees.

Step 1 – Get the application form and package

Download the application form and package:

  • Application Form [PDF 483 Kb] — must be completed and submitted at least two months before opening a residence.
  • Should I Register My Residence? [PDF 111 Kb] — helps operators assess whether they are operating an assisted living residence.

The application package can also be obtained from the Office of the Assisted Living Registrar.

Step 2 - Complete the self-assessment form

The Personal Assistance Services Self-Assessment Worksheet [PDF 318 Kb] helps operators assess the extent to which they are providing personal assistance in any of the six service areas and, if so, whether the services are at a level that triggers the registration requirement. The worksheet must be completed and submitted to the OALR at least two months before opening a residence.

Step 3 - Complete the application form

If you have questions about completing the application form, contact the Office of the Assisted Living Registrar.

Step 4 - Compile supporting documents and required information

Supporting Documents

In addition to the completed application form, applicants must also provide copies of the following documents:

  • the residence’s business licence. If the local government does not require an operator of an assisted living residence to have a business licence — e.g., some municipalities do not require non-profit societies to have a business licence — the local government must confirm this by email or fax directly with the OALR.
  • a Food Premises Permit (if the residence provides meals to seven or more residents).
  • the FoodSafe certificate of the owner and each person involved in the preparation or serving of meals (if the residence provides meals to six or fewer residents).
  • applicable environmental health permits or approvals for any spas and pools, personal service establishments, sewerage systems and water supply systems.
  • change-of-use permit for change of use, conversion, renovation (if applicable) of an existing building.
  • occupancy permit for new construction.
  • registration certificates for registered nurses involved in delegation to unregulated care providers.
  • licences of licensed practical nurses involved in professional oversight of unregulated care providers.

Required Information

Applicants must also provide the following information:

  • particulars of any previous experience of the site manager and owner with licensed community care facilities, assisted living residences or supportive housing.
  • confirmation that criminal record checks/personal background checks are conducted on staff, contractors and volunteers (see application form for details).
  • written confirmation from a registered dietitian or food service supervisor/diet technician that the applicant meets the Health and Safety Standards related to the meal service.
  • the number of stories of the residence.
  • whether residents’ medications are being centrally stored, and if so, a letter from a pharmacist indicating s/he has reviewed the applicant’s medication storage and distribution policies.
  • a sample Personal Services Plan.
  • a letter from the local fire department indicating it has reviewed the residence’s fire plan.
  • a sample delegation of task, if a registered nurse is engaged in delegation to support workers.
  • the residence complaint resolution policy.
  • the information the operator will provide to residents about the residence’s complaints process, which must include how to contact Office of the Assisted Living Registrar.

Step 5 - Enclose cheque(s) for the required fees

Application Fee

A one-time non-refundable application fee of $250 must be included with the completed application form. Cheques should be made payable to the OALR.

Registration Fee

A registration fee of $12.50 per unit must be paid when the application is approved, and annually after that. To expedite processing of the registration, applicants may send a separate cheque for the registration fee along with the application. Cheques should be made payable to the OALR.

  • Registration fees are prorated semi-annually. The registration year runs April 1 – March 31.
  • For residences that begin operation between April 1 and September 30, the fee is $12.50 per unit.
  • For residences that begin operation between October 1 and March 31, the fee is prorated to $6.25 per unit.

Step 6 – Submit the application form, supporting documents, required information and fees

Submit the application form, personal services worksheet, supporting documents and required information, along with cheques for required fees, to:

Office of the Assisted Living Registrar
#300-1275 West 6th Avenue
Vancouver B.C. V6H 1A6

Application Acknowledgement & Review

When the OALR receives the application, the Assisted Living Coordinator will:

  • acknowledge the application.
  • review the application for completeness and advise the applicant of any missing information.
  • send the applicant the Registrant Handbook and the Information about Assisted Living [PDF 551 Kb] and Complaint Investigation in Assisted Living [PDF 411 Kb] brochures.
  • validate with third parties the information provided on the application form (e.g., about food safety with Environmental Health Officers).
  • identify any deficiencies in the application, or in meeting the Health and Safety Standards and related policies, which must be rectified before the residence can be registered.

Risk Assessment

Shortly before the application process has been completed, the Assisted Living Coordinator will:

  • conduct a telephone call with the residence site manager to discuss the application.
  • identify any deficiencies in the application, or in meeting the Health and Safety Standards and related policies, which must be rectified before the residence can be registered.
  • conduct a risk assessment and, in cases where there are a number of health and safety risks, arrange for a site inspection.
  • follow up with the applicant to rectify any deficiencies.

Registration Decision

When the applicant has addressed all deficiencies, the Assisted Living Registrar will:

  • conduct a call with the site manager and with the owner of the residence. The purpose of the call is to outline the Registrar’s role, highlight the key features of how assisted living is regulated in B.C., and ensure the applicant is aware of and complies with the Health and Safety Standards.
  • approve the application if satisfied that the housing, hospitality services and prescribed services will be provided to residents in a manner that will not jeopardize their health and safety.

Approval of Registration

When the application has been approved, the Assisted Living Coordinator will:

  • issue a registration certificate and a receipt for the registration fees, and
  • update the assisted living registry.

Refusal of Registration

If the Registrar is not satisfied that services can be provided in a manner that will ensure resident health and safety, and intends to refuse the registration, she will advise the applicant in writing of the reasons for her decision and the reconsideration process.

The applicant will then have 30 days in which to submit reasons why the decision should be reconsidered. If the application for registration is still refused, the applicant may appeal to the Community Care and Assisted Living Appeal Board.