Our journey began in 1998 when Juliana Skelhon, then president of the British Columbia Association of Practicing Aromatherapists (BCAPA), convened a meeting of professional aromatherapists in Vancouver. This meeting, driven by a shared vision for the future of aromatherapy, laid the foundation for what would become the CAOA. Representatives from various organizations, including BCAPA, the Canadian Federation of Aromatherapy (CFA), and several international aromatherapy associations, united with the goal of establishing standards for aromatherapy practice in British Columbia.

This collaborative spirit led to the registration of the British Columbia Board of Aromatherapy (BCAOA) under the Society Act on February 17, 1999. The BCAOA actively engaged with regulatory bodies, advocating for the recognition of aromatherapy as a profession and contributing to the development of safety guidelines for essential oils. We presented to the Health Professions Council regarding the scope of practice of Registered Massage Therapists and subsequently applied for recognition of aromatherapy under the Health Act. We also participated in consultations with the Office of Natural Health Products (now the Natural Health Products Directorate) to ensure that the voice of aromatherapists was heard in the development of regulations for natural health products.