The Ontario Physiotherapy Association (OPA) is sounding the alarm as the Community Physiotherapy Clinic (CPC) Program faces a critical funding crisis that will hurt communities across Ontario. Despite a proven track record of saving healthcare dollars, the program has been pushed to a breaking point due to chronic underfunding over the last 13 years. Current Government funding is currently less than clinics’ costs of delivering the service. Regardless, the government recently notified clinics that there is no increase in patient funding or program capacity for the next two years.
Many CPC clinics are small businesses that cannot sustain such continuing losses and will have to exit the Program. That will leave many communities without access to publicly-funded physiotherapy, after surgery, or injury.
The CPC Program is a vital health service for patients who qualify, mostly seniors and those who do not have private insurance. With seniors making up over 80% of the program’s patients, the lack of adequate funding puts thousands at risk.
Sarah Hutchison, CEO of the Ontario Physiotherapy Association, stated:
“Despite a commitment to end hallway medicine and increase investments in primary care and home care, it appears that this government undervalues the Community Physiotherapy Program’s role in achieving both objectives. There is no increase in funding for physiotherapy clinics who deliver care and no response to the growth of wait lists and wait times for services. A mere $20 increase in funding over 13 years speaks for itself.”
Reflecting on the government’s position, OPA President Courtney Bean stated:
“The news regarding the government’s lack of support for Community Physiotherapy Clinics (CPCs) is deeply troubling and inconsistent with what Ontario seniors and our health-system partners need in 2026. As our acute care system is under increasing strain, our health system needs better access to rehabilitation and the ability for people to stay independent in their homes and communities. Despite this, access to valuable care by physiotherapists through CPCs is being challenged. This lack of funding will erode access to already strained services for many seniors living in this province.”
The Ontario Physiotherapy Association calls on the Ford government to think again and provide immediate, sustainable funding to ensure that seniors and vulnerable populations living in Ontario are not left behind.
Background
An Undeniable Return on Investment
Investing in this program is one of the most cost-effective ways to support the provincial healthcare budget. The CPC Program currently delivers extraordinary value:
• System Savings: Every $1 invested in the CPC Program saves the government $4 in other healthcare costs.
• Emergency Prevention: The program prevents 70,000 emergency department visits annually.
• Reduced Strain: It reduces hospital admissions, diagnostic imaging costs, surgeries, and specialist consultations.
A single emergency department visit costs $275. The CPC Program’s value is clear, but the government isn’t investing to match it.
The Widening Gap in Care
The disparity between Ontario’s growing population and needed health care funding is stark:
- Population Growth: Ontario’s senior population has grown by 940,000 since 2013.
- Stagnant Access: In that same period, available CPC referrals have grown by only 17,000.
- Underfunding: While operating costs have increased 40%, referral funding has increased only 6%.
On a Dangerous Path
The OPA notes that the funding for the CPC Program directly impacts funding for other programs, including the Bundled Care program for hip and knee replacements. If the government underinvests today, it sends a message devaluing access to needed physiotherapy services that support a return to function, and shifts the burden of care to other parts of our health care system.
Find more information here: https://www.opa.on.ca/advocacy/community-physiotherapy-clinics/
