Ontario’s Primary Care Expansion Opens New Doors for Physiotherapists 

Ontario announced an investment of more than $250 million to support 124 successful proposals for new and expanded primary care teams across the province. This is part of the government’s second round of Primary Care Action Plan funding from March.  

Advocating for More Physiotherapists in Primary Care

The Ontario Physiotherapy Association has been consistently advocating that with an increase in primary care funding, physiotherapists must be included as core members of interdisciplinary primary care teams.  

There are currently over 80 physiotherapists working with primary care teams across the province, including Family Health Teams, Community Health Centres, Aboriginal Health Access Centres and Nurse Practitioner Led Clinics. 

We are thrilled to see more organizations recognizing the value physiotherapists bring to improving access, outcomes, and quality of care in communities across Ontario. 

Organizations Ready to Hire. Apply Today! 

OPA would like to highlight several organizations that are actively recruiting physiotherapists to expand their primary care teams: 

Georgian Bay Family Health Team

5 full-time physiotherapists in Collingwood and Wasaga Beach 

South East Grey Community Health Centre 

1 full-time physiotherapist in Markdale  

Northumberland Family Health Team

1 full-time physiotherapist between Oshawa and Kingston  

Working in Primary Care Has Advantages 

If you’re considering a career transition to primary care, and want to understand what these roles entail, OPA is here to support you. There are many professional opportunities with working in primary care, including:

• Being part of a comprehensive care team, including family physicians, nurse practitioner,  dietitians, social workers, and more

• Delivering group programs to support chronic disease management 

• Delivering care across the lifespan 

Additionally, some of the employment benefits include: 

• Salaried position 

• Pension such as HOOPP 

• Extended health benefits 

• Paid vacation and personal days 

• Professional development days and budget 

More Resources

For more information, explore OPA’s comprehensive resource on Physiotherapists in Primary Care Teams: Optimizing Attachment, Access & Outcomes.  

If you have specific questions, contact Emily Stevenson, Director of Practice and Policy, at estevenson@opa.on.ca.  

What’s Next  

This funding represents a crucial step toward building stronger, more comprehensive primary care teams and expanding access to physiotherapy across Ontario. OPA remains committed to working with organizations province-wide to support the integration of physiotherapists into primary care, and we expect more exciting announcements to come.