Elevate 2026: Shaping the Future of Physiotherapy

OPA Leaders and Stakeholders Come Together to Imagine What’s Next

On October 3, 2026, the Ontario Physiotherapy Association (OPA) hosted a first of its kind event. ‘Elevate’ was designed specifically for OPA members who have contributed their time and expertise to the work of the Association. This included current and past members of the Board of Directors, District executives, Committee members, and those who participated in Working Groups and other OPA initiatives.

OPA developed Elevate to build on the amazing talents and contributions of our engaged members. We built opportunities for networking and collaboration and to gather their insights to help shape the profession’s future. A key question also guided the event:

What role will physiotherapy and OPA play in the future of healthcare?

At a time when technology is transforming every aspect of how care is delivered, OPA challenged attendees to consider the opportunities that lie ahead. How can the Association best support its members and advocate for the future of physiotherapy care?

Keynote Speakers

Healthcare futurist, Zayna Khayat, and physiotherapist, scientist and leader, Laura Desveaux, led attendees to explore how physiotherapy can help shape a healthcare system that is not only more efficient, but more personalized, predictive, and proactive. These discussions will directly link to what OPA focuses on in developing our upcoming strategic plan.

Physiotherapists Uniquely Positioned

One message throughout the day was clear: healthcare is approaching a significant inflection point. While today’s healthcare system is largely designed to respond to illness and injury after they occur, emerging technologies are creating opportunities to identify risks earlier, support prevention, and preserve health before more intensive interventions become necessary. Physiotherapists are uniquely positioned within this shift.

The Ontario healthcare system, funding and service delivery models have always focused on “sick” care. We treat injuries after they occur. We intervene after chronic conditions progress. We often only support patients after injury or functional decline has already occurred.

The future model focuses on keeping people healthy, mobile, and independent longer through early intervention, better data, and more personalized care. This is an area where physiotherapists’ strengths align with the direction of healthcare. Speakers highlighted mobility data as an emerging vital sign for assessing and monitoring healthcare needs; an area in which physiotherapists possess unique expertise.

Unlocking the Power of Healthcare Data

Laura Desveaux, Elevate 2026 Keynote Speaker

Keynote speakers challenged attendees to think about the growing role of data and artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. For physiotherapy, the implications are significant. The profession has long championed patient-centered care, recognizing that each individual presents unique goals, circumstances, risks, and needs. Greater use of healthcare data could help clinicians move beyond population normative values and provide even more tailored physiotherapy care based on an individual’s specific situation.

The conversation was not at all about replacing clinicians with technology. Instead, the conversation focused on how technology can enhance clinical expertise and support better decision-making, helping physiotherapists deliver the right care, at the right time, for the right patient.

From Barriers to Possibilities

Sarah Hutchison, OPA CEO presenting at Elevate

Sarah Hutchison, CEO of OPA, led the closing session of the day. She encouraged attendees to temporarily set aside the barriers that often dominate conversations about healthcare innovation. Attendees were challenged to ask different questions, framed with a new perspective from the earlier sessions.

Charlotte Anderson, OPA President Presenting

Charlotte Anderson, President of OPA, assisted in facilitating the afternoon session and immediately saw shifts in perspective that sparked meaningful dialogue across the room. Leaders representing clinical practice, education institutions, health system planning, and professional advocacy chimed in about possibilities that may have seemed out of reach just a few years ago.

Attendees shared their ideas about where OPA should go next. This included focusing on emerging trends in healthcare and on addressing members’ needs and wants.

Looking Ahead

Elevate was more than a discussion about AI, technology, and trends. It was a conversation about physiotherapists as leaders. As healthcare continues to evolve, physiotherapists have an opportunity to shape systems that prioritize prevention, mobility, independence, and better outcomes for patients. The ideas generated during Elevate will inform OPA’s ongoing work to advance the profession, advocate for innovative models of care, and ensure physiotherapists remain influential contributors to Ontario’s healthcare future. Through forums like Elevate, OPA is helping ensure physiotherapists have a voice in defining what comes next.