What’s the Issue 

The Government of Ontario invites workers, organizations, businesses and communities to share what matters most to inform the 2026 Ontario budget.  

OPA submitted a response to the annual budget consultation. Our response illustrates how physiotherapists can contribute to building a ‘more competitive, resilient and self-reliant province”, part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario.

OPA’s 2026-27 Budget Priorities 

Our 2026-2027 pre-budget submission focusses on attainable, impactful investments that will support the government in achieving the goal to increase capacity in Ontario’s health care system. The priorities are: 

1. Provide required resourcing of physiotherapy positions in primary care, home and community care, and long-term care to bring compensation in line with the hospital sector. 

2. Strengthen the Community Physiotherapy Clinic program as a strategy to support primary care access and to support seniors living in the community.  

3. Address the health human resource crisis and improve access to care by enabling physiotherapists in Ontario to practice to full scope of practice. 

Part of Our Continued Advocacy 

The priorities outlined are informed by conversations, meetings, and surveys across various sectors throughout the year. OPA consults with members and health care leaders, including our advisory committees, Board of Directors and Districts. These conversations and information have been critical to identify the priorities of OPA’s 2026 Pre-Budget Submission. 

More About What OPA Wants on Behalf of PTs and Patients 

1. PHYSIOTHERAPY COMPENSATION EQUALIZATION ACROSS PUBLIC SECTOR  

Physiotherapists have an essential role in delivering care in the community whether as part of a primary care team, at a patient’s place of residence, or in a long-term care facility. Access to care in each of these settings is critical to keeping Ontarians healthy, mobile and contributing to their communities and the economy. The challenge is that recruitment and retention in these positions is near impossible when the compensation is well below that of hospitals. To offset more costly institutional care, sufficient funding in the primary care, home care, and long-term care is essential to support health human resource needs long term. 

2. STRENGTHENING THE COMMUNITY PHYSIOTHERAPY (CPC) PROGRAM  

The Community Physiotherapy Program (CPC) is a well-established program which has been providing access to essential physiotherapy care for over 10 years. This program partners with over 200 community clinics and outpatient hospital facilities to deliver physiotherapy services.  Unfortunately, continuation of the CPC program is becoming increasingly precarious, as the funding model has not kept pace with increasing operating costs. Episode of Care (EOC) funding has increased by only 7% since inception of the program; from $312 in 2013 to $334.38 in 2025.  Without access to this care, individuals are put at risk for chronic pain, limited function, and delayed return to work. This is not a risk we can afford. The bottom line is that insufficient government funding of the CPC program is creating a significant exposure of risk to Ontarians.   

3. ENABLING PHYSIOTHERAPISTS’ SCOPE OF PRACTICE IMPLEMENTATION 

For physiotherapists, expanding scope to include diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing was included in changes to the Physiotherapy Act in 2009, as approved by the legislature. However, still today, the Ministry has not yet implemented the regulatory changes required to enact these changes.  

The result? Where once a leader, there are now four provinces who have surpassed Ontario with implementing scope changes, including Alberta, Quebec, PEI and Nova Scotia. Ontarians continue to deal with “circular referrals” where they must return to their family physician (or worse yet, the Emergency Department or Walk in Clinics) for referrals for diagnostic imaging, when it is already within scope of physiotherapists. 

As the government looks to attach two million people to primary care by 2029, expanding the scope of physiotherapists to include diagnostic imaging, will not only relieve the burden on family doctors – it will promote earlier diagnosis, earlier intervention, reduced system costs and promote better health outcomes. Expansion of scope will optimize any current and future investments in the community. The province cannot afford to wait any longer to enact this opportunity. 

About OPA’s Advocacy 

OPA’s advocacy work is ongoing, and our Pre-Budget Submission is one example of what we continue to do to advocate for our members.  

All Sectors are Affected 

Our recommendations affect the physiotherapy community in all practice areas. Whether it’s increasing compensation in primary care, home care, and long-term care, increasing funding for the Community Physiotherapy Clinic program, or enabling the implementation of physiotherapists’ full scope of practice, all members are impacted and would benefit from our suggested solutions. 

What’s Next 

We look forward to working with the government to implement these solutions. We will be looking for these commitments in this year’s budget, which is usually released in March.