Ontario College of Pharmacy Commemorative plaque, 2023.
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Resource ID
10407
Access
Open
Credit Line
Heritage Toronto
Date of Creation
2023
Historical Themes
Health Care
Program Category
Historical Plaques
Time Period
1835-1899, 1900-1953, 1954-1998, 1999-today
Caption
Ontario College of Pharmacy Commemorative plaque, 2023.
Description
In 1882, the Ontario College of Pharmacy opened Canada’s first school of pharmacy, which moved into this building in 1887. A group of 18 druggists (a former term for pharmacists) founded the predecessor organization — the Toronto Chemists’ and Druggists’ Association — in 1867 to oversee their work with medicines and poisons. They were a licensing and regulatory body, a teaching college, and a professional society. In the 19th century, pharmacists competed with doctors, grocers, and other retailers regarding what medication each profession was allowed to make, prescribe, or sell. The 1871 Ontario Pharmacy Act made the Ontario College of Pharmacy responsible for testing students, issuing qualifications, and registering those who could legally dispense drugs. The College professionalized pharmacy over several decades. In 1892, it became affiliated with the University of Toronto, and the Faculty of Pharmacy offered the first graduate degree in 1953. The now-renamed Ontario College of Pharmacists remains the regulatory body for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacies in the province.