The College also said in a release it welcomes the “modernizing” of the legislation and said it was also pushing for changes to the legislation that will both strengthen penalties and make sexual misconduct investigations and prosecutions more effective and efficient, including requiring mandatory revocation for all physical sexual contact between a physician and patient, which the College said “is much broader than the current legislation that specifies particular acts that result in this penalty.”

“As a regulator, we will do all that we can to support patients and protect them from sexual abuse,” said Dr. Joel Kirsh, president of the College.

The government's actions come after recommendations from the Minister's Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Patients and the Regulated Health Professions Act. Hoskins set up the task force in late 2014 in response to a number of Toronto Star stories calling into question how the College disciplines doctors who sexually abuse patients.

The government will also bring forward further measures by winter 2017 to identify more ways for patients to participate in the complaints, investigation and discipline processes at health regulatory colleges.

The information available on the College's website clearly shows that, by the doctor's own admissions, he sexually abused patients.

"For each of these 10 to 12 patients, Dr. Maharajh acknowledges that he either placed his mouth on the patient’s breast, or he rested his cheek lightly on the patient’s breast," according to the ruling, issued Nov. 5, 2013.

The Committee found Maharajh "has engaged in an act or omission relevant to the practice of medicine that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional."

Maharajh practiced at the MD Walk-In at 2686 The Collegeway, but moved in 2014 to the Mississauga Health Centre at Hurontario Street and Central Parkway, where he continues to practice.

His case caused an uproar online and in political and medical circles, prompting a protest outside his old office calling for the College to strip him of his licence.

The College says in its 2013 ruling that had Maharajh also abused male patients, the Committee would have revoked his licence.

"There must be serious consequences for such egregious behaviour against female patients," the decision states. "The Committee is inclined to agree with the College submission that had Dr. Maharajh's misconduct also involved male patients, a suspension would not have been sufficient to protect the public, and revocation would have been in order."

Clarke said in an earlier story that The Health Professions Procedural Code provides for mandatory revocation of a physician’s certificate of registration for certain acts of sexual abuse (namely, sexual intercourse and other acts).

"For sexual abuse that does not involve these acts (i.e., as in this case), the penalty is at the discretion of the Discipline Committee," she said.

Back in 2014, Maharajh was one of 21 Ontario doctors who had gender-based practice restrictions, according to a Star investigation. Twenty were male doctors restricted from treating female patients. One was a male doctor restricted from seeing male patients, the Star reported.

Maharajh hasn’t replied to a request for comment.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to include comments from Ministry spokesperson Shae Greenfield.