Professional Registration
The Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association registers Horticultural Therapists through a voluntary Professional Registration process. There are two levels of registration available:
- Horticultural Therapist Technician (HTT)
- Horticultural Therapist Registered (HTR)
As the Canada wide association governing Horticultural Therapy, we are here to offer support, education and fellowship with horticultural therapy practitioners throughout Canada, and the world. Our aim is to guide those who have chosen this heart-centred career path so that their journey is rewarding and meaningful. We would love for you to join us!
Let us help get you started! Please feel free to reach out to us directly if you are interested in pursuing this path at [email protected].
Before you apply:
To be eligible to apply for Professional Registration one must:
- Be a member in good standing of the CHTA for one year prior to application
- Establish credibility in other related professions (horticulture &/or therapy)
- Support HT as a therapeutic discipline
- Review the Horticultural Therapy Core Skills and Knowledge Checklist
- Review the 10 Tips for Professional Registration document
- Review the Guidelines for Professional Registration Application
- Contact the Registration Committee Coordinator at [email protected] to set up your first advising session
- Request a numbered Professional Registration Package from the CHTA office at [email protected] (there is a $25 fee for this package)
More questions about titles and registration? Check out our FAQ Page.
Horticultural Therapy Professional Code of Ethics
The Horticultural Therapy Professional Code of Ethics applies to all individuals who are practicing within the field of Horticultural Therapy (HT) &/or Therapeutic Horticulture (TH) in Canada, &/or are applying HT/TH methods to their work, regardless of title or designation.
Please respect and help uphold our professional standards.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the Horticultural Therapy Professional Code of Ethics please contact [email protected].
Annual Professional Registration Fees
If you are a practicing HTT/HTR/HTM within Canada, in order to keep your professional registration status and designation in good standing, you are required to maintain a Professional CHTA membership.
You may choose a membership option that best suits your needs (Individual or Business).
Visit our Membership page to see more information about the unique benefits to each type of professional membership.
Choose the package that’s right for you!
HT Professional Code of Ethics
Land Acknowledgement and Environmental Stewardship
As professionals who partner with the land, plants, and wide spectrum of nature to accomplish our work, we are committed to acknowledging traditional territories, as well as respecting and applying honourable harvesting and stewardship practices in all that we do.
A professional shall make their best effort to collaborate with local indigenous nations, to learn the traditional best practices and protocol, and to ensure that any professional practices demonstrate care and respect for land we are working, playing, and gardening with.
Responsibilities
A professional’s prime responsibility is to the client served:
- To provide a safe and appropriate environment
- To provide an appropriate intervention dependent upon assessment
- To provide an intervention which is monitored and measured
Documentation
Policy, procedure, goals, objectives, assessments, interventions, and outcomes shall be documented in accordance with employer policies and/or professional best practices. Client information shall be confidential and shall not be used for unethical purposes or personal advantage.
Any photos of participants can only be used with expressed, informed written consent. There must be a clear understanding of how and where the photos will be used.
Misrepresentation
The professional shall provide no misrepresentation regarding information relating to the profession and practice of horticultural therapy. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of professional titles/designations, terminology, and standards, as established by the CHTA.
Endorsements
The professional shall refrain from endorsing any product or service related to the practice of horticultural therapy without having made an objective assessment of those goods or services.
Professional Competence
A professional shall demonstrate the highest possible level of professional skill gained through education and experience in horticultural therapy by demonstrating integrity, reliability, sound clinical judgment, and professional decorum.
A professional shall be professionally responsible for services rendered by the professional or by other personnel including students who are under his/her/their direct supervision.
A professional shall be aware that client welfare depends on the capacity of all professional personnel to integrate their efforts.
The professional shall demonstrate the spirit of cooperation and encourage collaboration with other professionals in planning and providing client care.
The professional shall only work within his/her/their scope of practice and area of professional competency. Professionals shall make other professionals and personnel aware of his/her/their skills and experience within the field of HT/TH.
The professional shall inform and work with other personnel, affiliated professionals, and caregivers to clarify and establish the role that HT/TH plays for the individual(s), groups, and/or organization being served.
The professional shall be responsible to the profession and to the employer.
