Homeopathy has a rich and influential legacy in Canada, beginning in the mid‑19th century and steadily developing into a formally regulated profession in modern times.
1845 – Homeopathy first arrived in Canada when Dr. J.O. Rosenstein, a Dutch immigrant, settled in Montreal.
Ontario became the first province to regulate the practice of homeopathy.
Dr. James Lillie and Dr. Joseph Lancaster introduced homeopathy to Ontario.
1854 – The Homeopathic Medical Society of Canada was established to give homeopaths legal rights to practice.
1859 – “An Act Respecting Homeopathy” was formed to set standards for Homeopathy, including the requirement to complete a 3‑year Homeopathy program.
1869 – The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) was established and included Homeopaths, Eclectics and Regular Physicians.
Homeopathy remained regulated under CPSO from 1869 – 1974.
1884 – An estimated 80 homeopaths were practicing Homeopathy in Canada.
1890 – The Toronto Homeopathic Hospital opened at Richmond and Duncan Streets.
Emily Stowe, Canada's first female physician to publicly practise medicine in Ontario, publicly practiced homeopathic medicine.
1992 – The first homeopathic practitioner program in Canada was introduced by the International Academy of Homeopathy (IAH) and the Toronto Homeopathic Hospital.
Homeopathic remedies became regulated as Natural Health Products in Canada.
Today Health Canada has approved more than 8,500 remedies.
2015 – The practice of Homeopathy became officially regulated in Ontario by the College of Homeopaths (CHO) on April 1, 2015, under the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA).