The recent announcement by the Government of Ontario about pending scope of practice implementation for physiotherapists in Ontario is an important and welcome step. OPA remains optimistic that following the completion of the Government consultation on November 3, 2025, the Government will move quickly with the needed regulation changes to expand the scope of practice for physiotherapists.
OPA also continues to advocate for the remaining needed changes so that physiotherapists can order laboratory tests, which the announcement did not reference.
Member Meets with Premier Doug Ford & Minister of Health Sylvia Jones
Anthony Grande, PT and OPA member, met with Premier Doug Ford on September 25 and Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones on October 7, 2025.
OPA provided Anthony with a letter of acknowledgement and appreciation for the Premier and Minister of Health on behalf of 12,000 physiotherapists in Ontario for their leadership in announcing plans to implement the needed changes. Anthony thanked both the Premier and Deputy Premier in person for the recent Government of Ontario announcement regarding plans to implement the needed changes for physiotherapists to be able to order diagnostic imaging.
We thank all members who recently submitted feedback to OPA regarding the Government consultation. OPA is also encouraged by all members, like Anthony, who dedicate time and energy to advocating for the the physiotherapy profession, and the implementation of our full scope of practice.
Continued Advocacy is Needed
The Government of Ontario consultation on the proposed changes to scope of practice closes on November 3, 2025. OPA will share our submission with members prior to the government’s consultation closing.
Highlighting the Full Scope of Physiotherapy Practice with Andrew Tri, Emergency Department Physiotherapist
In the ever-evolving landscape of Ontario’s healthcare system, physiotherapists are stepping into new roles and settings with significant impact. Andrew Tri, a physiotherapist working in the emergency department at Toronto General Hospital, shares his journey, insights, and hopes for the future of the profession.
A Dynamic Career Path
From his early days working in private neurological rehabilitation and high-performance sport clinics, to supporting elite athletes at the Toronto Lakeshore Skating School and national teams such as Swimming Canada, Skate Canada, and Rowing Canada, Andrew Tri’s career has always been dynamic. Diverse education and a shifting healthcare landscape allowed him to move between roles in inpatient surgical units, sports organizations, and even a health tech company, which eventually led him to become a trailblazer in the emergency department.
“My path has always included both public and private settings,” Andrew explains. “That hybrid approach kept my skills sharp and my perspective broad.”
After earning his FCAMPT (Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physiotherapy) designation in 2018, Andrew pursued further education through the Master of Clinical Science in Advanced Health Care Practice (Sport and Exercise Medicine) at Western University (AHCP-SEM). This interdisciplinary program was a steppingstone to a new opportunity to work at Trillium Health Partners – Credit Valley Hospital, which eventually led Andrew to University Health Network, where he is helping define and expand the role of physiotherapists in the emergency department.
Emergency Care
Andrew credits his wealth of postgraduate training and wide-ranging clinical experience for preparing him for the unpredictable nature of the emergency department. “The emergency department is one of the most unpredictable areas of the hospital” Andrew explains. “The AHCP – SEM program at Western is designed so that you’re in a mixed cohort of PTs and Physicians…I had the privilege of learning from some brilliant physicians, some of whom practice in the emergency department.”
In the emergency department at Trillium Health Partners – Credit Valley Hospital, Andrew worked under medical directives that allowed qualified physiotherapists to order imaging, administer analgesia, and manually reduce dislocated joints:
“If a shoulder dislocation comes into the emergency department, we are the first ones to assess, order imaging, and initiate the reduction process.”
This proactive, team-based approach helps streamline emergency operations and improves patient outcomes. Andrew has noticed that this model “allows individuals to receive appropriate care in a time-effective model that better utilizes resources and distributes work amongst team members.”
Physiotherapists as System Changers
Andrew is part of a small but growing group of physiotherapists working to their full scope of practice in collaborative teams. “Having the experience of working in a role that allows for basic medical imaging and administering analgesia allows me to experience first-hand what a full scope of practice in Ontario could look like,” Andrew says.
Andrew believes that high-quality roles where physiotherapists practice to full scope are powerful advocacy tools: “I believe doing the role, and doing it well, helps push the boundaries as we continue to serve as a strong representation of what PTs can do, or look to do once trained to do so.”
Over time, Andrew has seen growing awareness of the value that physiotherapists bring to the emergency department: “There is a lot more understanding of what PTs can do and the value that can be provided in the emergency department.” From assessment and early management to discharge planning and education, physiotherapists play an integral role in improving patient care.
Serving Underserved Populations
Musculoskeletal conditions, which are frequently underserved in traditional emergency department models, are an area where PTs shine.
“These musculoskeletal populations are in our wheelhouse as PTs,” says Andrew. “Our impact is in providing early, effective education and starting someone’s journey on a higher trajectory…This reduces the likelihood of those fear avoidant behaviours and maladaptive patterns.”
He also highlights the PT’s role in managing chronic conditions and geriatric syndromes, both of which are areas where timely intervention can prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and future emergency department visits.
In a system battling hallway medicine and capacity issues, Andrew believes physiotherapists are key allies. “We’re constantly assessing and developing management and discharge plans to ensure those who are in need of active emergency medicine, have the space to receive the appropriate care…”.
Advocacy, Collaboration, and Moving Forward
Andrew believes that adding more physiotherapist roles in emergency departments is not only possible but essential: “We are trained to provide value beyond mobility and discharge planning, [and] we are well-positioned to contribute more to assessment and management”.
For fellow health professionals, he emphasizes the need for collaboration:
“PTs can provide a lot of value to a healthcare system that is currently overloaded and understaffed. The deterioration that typically happens in the care areas of musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory, neurological, and complex care systems often end up presenting to the emergency department in the form of falls, physical fragility, loss of function and independence, and generally failure to thrive.”
As the healthcare system evolves, Andrew outlines a roadmap for progress: use data to demonstrate impact, build public and political awareness, advocate for new physiotherapist roles, and form task forces to address broader healthcare trends.
He also urges physiotherapists to challenge the status quo and continue to grow: “We are in a profession of continued, life-long learning [and] times have changed. The stresses and demands on the health care system have changed. We must continue to advocate for the appropriate change in our scope of practice to better serve and support these new demands.”
A Vision for Physiotherapists in Emergency Care
Andrew’s story is a case study of the untapped potential of physiotherapists within Ontario’s healthcare system. His work exemplifies how the profession, when supported to work to full scope, can transform emergency care and support system-wide goals.
As Ontario’s healthcare landscape continues to shift, stories like Andrew’s are a powerful reminder of what is possible when physiotherapists are empowered to lead, innovate, and care at the highest level.
Are You our Next Member Spotlight?
Do you want to be featured and in an innovative role? Spoken about physiotherapy in a podcast or the news? Published an article? Or represented the physiotherapy profession through advocacy?
We want to celebrate you as a physiotherapist, PT or PTA student or PTA!
Clinics participating in the Community Physiotherapy Clinic (CPC) Program through a Transfer Payment Agreement (TPA) with the Ministry of Health (MoH) continue to face issues although improvements were made in 2024. As a new TPA is expected in April 2026, OPA continues to advocate with the Ministry about the issues that physiotherapists encounter with the program. Consulting with OPA’s CPC working group prior to meeting with the Ministry, the current concerns include:
High threshold for the # of visits in an episode of care
Wait lists for clinics not able to provide service because they have met their EOC allocation
Inadequate compensation for an episode of care
Lack of timely data sharing
How We Are Advocating
On September 10, 2025, Sarah Hutchison, OPA CEO, and Don Gracey, Government Relations for OPA, met withthe CPC Program staff in Kingston to address some of these issues.
In the summary data for fiscal year 2024-25, the average number of treatments per EOC was 5, and the overall utilization of program EOCs was 93.7%. Members of the working group noted that the demand for the CPC program has continued to increase as have waitlists for many providers. The Ministry does not currently track waitlists raising the question of whether there is a need to track unmet demand along with its potential impact on patient care and practices.
Commitment to Increase Data Sharing
One of the concerns identified by the working group has been timely data sharing. This is an ongoing challenge given the retrospective nature of the program and the timing for billing/submissions/reconciliation. The Ministry has committed to providing quarterly data at the end of the following quarter.
What We Are Working Towards
OPA is holding its next meeting with the CPC working group on October 9 to discuss issues and priorities for the 2026 Transfer Payment Agreement.
Critical for Physiotherapist Profession
The Community Physiotherapy Clinic Program provides publicly funded physiotherapy to residents of Ontario that may not have access otherwise. OPA was pleased to see changes made to the previous TPA in March of 2024 that included:
An increase in fees: 3% in the first year of the TPA, and 2% in the second year
One diagnosis for one Episode of Care (EOC) rather than the previous ‘whole body’ multiple diagnoses approach
Replacement of the annual Review Engagement Financial Statement with an annual attestation
Support access to virtual care as per College of Physiotherapists of Ontario guidelines
Enabling of reallocation of available EOCs when a clinic closes or identifies they are unable to fulfill all EOCs assigned, or when the Ministry chooses to allocate unused EOCs
Remove the requirement for referral from physicians or nurse practitioners
Current Challenges
With feedback from the CPC working group and members who deliver care in the CPC program, OPA will continue to advocate for needed improvements to the CPC Program, including inadequate compensation for an episode of care, high wait lists and high thresholds within an episode of care. The Ministry has previously included OPA’s feedback into changes to the TPA and we are hopeful about conversations moving forward.
Thank you to everyone who has been engaged with the recent announcement about pending scope of practice implementation for physiotherapists in Ontario. We are equally excited about these next steps and want to assure our community that we will share additional information as soon as it becomes available to us.
Following the Announcement, the Government of Ontario opened a public consultation on the scope of practice for a number of regulated health professions and specifically included the authority for physiotherapists to order diagnostic imaging.
What’s Been Completed
Scope of practice expansion began under the Physiotherapy Act, 1991 in 2009. Specifically, members will recall that the Physiotherapy Act was amended to:
Expand the legislative description of the scope of practice of physiotherapy in section 3 of the Act;
Authorize physiotherapists to “communicate a diagnosis”;
Perform several procedures relating to wound care;
These changes have been in place for some time. Combined with the earlier extension of authority to “administer a substance by inhalation” that was extended prior, the scope changes arguably represent the most extensive granted to any profession that was regulated by the Health Professions Regulations Act when it came into force and effect in 1993. With the pending addition of diagnostic imaging, the only outstanding authority is the ability to order of lab tests.
In the fall of 2024, OPA collaborated with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario to update past submissions to the Ontario Government on scope of practice implementation. This included the results of a 2024 updated survey of Ontario physiotherapists to understand the current landscape. A comprehensive submission has already been made to the Ministry in advance of this announcement. OPA has been committed to advocacy in this area dating back to 2009. View the timeline of OPA activities related to scope changes.
What Needs to Happen for Scope of Practice Changes to Advance
It is important to know that few of the health professions that are seeking scope expansion are at the same point in terms of the necessary enabling legislation. In this regard, the physiotherapy profession is among the furthest advanced. In our case, the necessary statutory amendments have already been made and have been proclaimed.
Once this current consultation period has ended, the following amendments to regulations need to occur. The changes to regulations are under the authority of the Minister of Health, subject to approval by Cabinet. Implementation of the physiotherapy scope of practice changes require:
A regulation under section 6(2) of the Healing Arts Radiation Protection Act to add prescribing of X-rays by physiotherapists.
Amendment to the Exemptions section of O. Reg 107/96 “Controlled Acts” under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 is required to give physiotherapists the authorization to order the following “ prescribed forms of energy”: o MRIs, under Sections 3.1 and 7.4, o Diagnostic Ultrasound, under Section 7.1(2), by including “a member of the College” as a “member with ordering authority.”
Physiotherapists are also seeking the ability to order laboratory tests, but the announcement did not reference this request. The following regulation changes would be required:
Amendment to O. Regs. 45 /22 Sections 17 & 18, under the Laboratory and Specimen Collection Act to permit physiotherapists to order laboratory tests (9.1(a)) as appropriate.
Amendment to O. Reg. 207/94 General, Section 12 under the Medical Laboratory Technology Act, 1991 to permit taking blood samples when ordered by a physiotherapist.
What the Government Announcement Means
This announcement is consistent with the government’s commitment to advance scope of practice expansion. The public consultation is a forum for the government to share its intent and to receive input on the benefits and risks of implementing scope of practice changes for multiple regulated health professionals including physiotherapists. We remain optimistic that following the completion of the consultation on November 3, 2025 the government will move quickly with the needed regulation changes to expand the scope of practice for physiotherapists.
What Information We Do Not Have Yet
Specific timelines for the drafting and approval of the necessary enabling regulation changes. We are hopeful that the regulations pertaining to physiotherapy could be in place as early as mid-year 2026.
Timeline from approval of regulation changes to clinical implementation including confirmation of the College of Physiotherapists processes for rostering that will be adapted to support this new authority. We understand that the College is preparing for implementation so that once the government has made the final regulatory changes, they will be ready to move forward. We will continue to work with CPO on implementation related considerations.
Government of Ontario Consultation
Thanks to all who provided thoughts to inform OPA’s feedback. This feedback closed October 8, 2025.
The Government of Ontario has released a consultation on the proposed changes to scope of practice closing on November 3, 2025.
Continue with your letter writing advocacy in support of scope expansion for physiotherapists.
We are actively collecting feedback from the physiotherapy community to include in our response to this consultation, which closes on November 3, 2025.
In addition to a summary of the existing PT competencies and scope of practice already passed in legislation, OPA will ensure the following points are clearly articulated with supporting evidence.
Continued access to diagnostic imaging must to be publicly-funded.
Implementing the authority for physiotherapists to order diagnostic imaging will:
Increase access to the right health care at the right time for many people in Ontario
Improve efficiencies and reduce costs in the healthcare system by eliminating redundancies and red tape
Require additional education and ongoing learning by PTs to ensure best practices
Be implemented safely and effectively by the College of Physiotherapist of Ontario’s robust and proven rostering process and quality assurance
OPA will share our submission with members prior to the government’s consultation closing.
We strongly encourage all PTs to provide their support through any of the two remaining pathways with comments directly to the Government’s consultation or continue with our letter writing campaign. Our voices are stronger together!
OPA President, Courtney Bean, shares a message upon the recent Government of Ontario announcement about pending scope of practice implementation for physiotherapists in Ontario. Courtney also welcomes new students to the physiotherapy community.
Join representatives from the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario and the Ontario Physiotherapy Association for an interactive discussion. Get updates about the organizations, learn about upcoming priorities, and have your say with a chance to get your questions answered.
Light refreshments will be served
We appreciate you registering in advance to help us plan accordingly.
We are pleased to share that today the Government of Ontario announced proposed changes to expand scope of practice for physiotherapists.
For physiotherapists, proposed scope expansion enables ordering of diagnostic imaging further enabling our ability to diagnose. OPA has long advocated for these changes so that people in Ontario have timely access to care. We are pleased to see this progress and OPA is committed to continue to advocate to take scope expansion across the finish line.
The government has recognized that scope expansion provides more timely access to care for people when they need it most. Supporting and enabling physiotherapists to work to the full extent of their training and expertise will further contribute to the optimal use of Ontario’s health human resources. The regulation changes for physiotherapists are straightforward and within the Ministry’s authority under current legislation, and we look forward to working with the Government to complete this important work this fall.
Sarah Hutchison Chief Executive Officer Ontario Physiotherapy Association
On Friday, September 6, OPA President Courtney Bean, CEO Sarah Hutchison, Primary Care Advisory Committee Chair member Emily Stevenson, and Government Relations Representative Don Gracey met with Dr. Jane Philpott, and Carly Bergamini, Director of the Primary Care Action Team (PCAT), an Ontario government initiative. The mandate of the PCAT is to ensure 100% of people in Ontario are attached to a family doctor or a primary care nurse practitioner working in a publicly funded team, where they receive ongoing, comprehensive, and convenient care.
OPA highlighted how approximately 20-30% of primary care visits are for musculoskeletal conditions,i, ii. Based on clinical experience in physiotherapy in primary care settings and suggested attachment rates for physicians, OPA estimates that a physiotherapist on an interprofessional primary care team can increase attachment rates by approximately 425 total rostered patients (on average) or 24%.
With funding now available as teams expand to meet the government’s mandate of ensuring access to primary care, physiotherapists can deliver incredible value in their ability to independently diagnose and manage musculoskeletal conditions and increase attachment.
Here’s What We Want
OPA is advocating for an expansion of physiotherapists in primary care teams in first contact roles.
OPA is advocating for the necessary statutory amendments to enable physiotherapists to prescribe x-rays and order lab tests and “forms of energy” to be completed. Physiotherapists in other provinces and “extended practice” physiotherapists in hospitals, etc. have been authorized to do for some time. It’s time for the remaining regulations to be implemented in Ontario.
With more physiotherapists on primary care teams, and working to their full scope of practice, we can reduce wait times, enhance access to care and improve patient outcomes at no net additional cost to the healthcare system.
Progress Made to Date
At this time, there are physiotherapists who are part of Family Health Teams, Community Health Centres, Nurse Practitioner-Led Teams and Indigenous Primary Care Teams. However, PTs are not frequently represented on these teams, and precise figures are not readily available from government sources, especially as organizations have moved to global budgeting models and so PT positions may be independent of specifically allocated funding. For the funding year 2023-2024, the following FTEs were identified:
29.44 FTE PT in Family Health Teams
54.03 FTE PT in Community Health Centres
2.40 FTE PT in Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics
These FTE values are likely a small undercount of the actual number of FTEs for physiotherapists in primary care teams.
Continuous Advocacy for PTs in Primary Care Roles
To ensure awareness of physiotherapists in team-based primary care roles, OPA meets with the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO) and the Alliance for Healthier Communities (Alliance) as well as individual OHTs. Discussions center on how PTs can increase attachment rates, and to collate various supports and resources for primary care teams regarding physiotherapists.
Collaboration & Expanded Capacity
OPA supports a collaborative approach to the integration of all rehab providers in primary care teams. It is important to note that communicating a diagnosis is within the existing scope of physiotherapists, which supports functioning independently as part of a team to expand capacity.
Why This is Critical for Our Profession
It is important to expand the number of physiotherapists in first contact roles in primary care teams to ensure Ontarians get the right kind of care when they need it.
Current Challenges
Implementing Scope of Practice Changes
Well over a decade ago HRAC approved, and the necessary statutory amendments were made to enable physiotherapists to prescribe x-rays and order lab tests and “forms of energy”. The necessary regulations, however, have been held up in the Ministry for the better part of 15 years. We are hopeful that those regulations will be passed soon to reduce wait times, enhance access to care and improve patient outcomes at no net additional cost to the healthcare system.
Increase Compensation for Physiotherapists in Primary Care Teams
OPA recently contributed to an advocacy initiative led by AFHTO and the Alliance. The OPA provided comparative data on current compensation rates in all sectors, and a proposed updated rate that accounts for inflation since 2015, when positions for PTs in primary care teams were first established with a salary of $75,000. There is also advocacy for salary rates at CHCs to rise to the same levels as Family Health Teams. OPA proposed a salary range of $97 110-$102 075, and acknowledged that these figures only account for inflation, and are not rooted in a value-based approach.
How OPA Supports PTs in Primary Care Teams
OPA has supported physiotherapists in primary care teams, and those looking to add physiotherapists to their teams with:
Consultation on applications to the Primary Care Action Team
Resources and individualized support for recruitment and retention, including job descriptions, compensation reports, interview guides and free job postings.
Communication to members regarding primary care developments
We Continue to Advocate
Dr. Philpott acknowledged the role and value of physiotherapists in team-based care and we look forward to our continued partnership to advance opportunities for physiotherapists.
i MacKay C, Canizares M, Davis AM & Badley EM. Health care utilization for musculoskeletal disorders. Arthritis Care & Research. 2010; 62(2): 161–169. Retrieved December 2023 from https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.20064.
ii Power JD, Perruccio AV, Paterson JM, Canizares M, Veillette C, Coyte PC et al. Healthcare utilization and costs for musculoskeletal disorders in Ontario, Canada. J Rheumatol. 2022; 49(7): 740-747. Retrieved March 2025 from https://www.jrheum.org/content/49/7/740.
We wanted to share with you recent OPA staff team updates.
Wishing Farewell to Amy Hondronicols, Director, Practice, Policy & Member Services
We bid farewell to Amy Hondronicols, Director of Practice, Policy and Member Services, who has made extraordinary contributions to the OPA over the past two years. Amy has been key in advancing our practice and policy work, engaging extensively with members and stakeholders across the physiotherapy community, and supporting countless initiatives that have strengthened our profession. We are excited for Amy in her new role as Director of Clinical Education at McMaster University. We wish her the very best in this new role and thank her for all that she has done for the profession.
Welcome to Emily Stevenson, new Director of Practice & Policy
Emily is an accomplished health care leader and Registered Physiotherapist with over 20 years of cross sectoral experience advancing physiotherapy and rehabilitation. She brings a combination of clinical expertise, health system leadership, and policy development to the role of Director of Practice and Policy. Her prior experience has focused on strategy, quality improvement, and the design and delivery of innovative programs that improve access and health outcomes.
Emily holds a MSc in Physiotherapy from McMaster University and a BSc/BPHE from Queen’s University. She is the recipient of the Ontario Physiotherapy Association’s Advocacy and Leadership Award (2024) and McMaster University’s Distinguished Alumni Award (2019). Contact Emily at estevenson@opa.on.ca beginning October 6.
Welcome to Janine Framst, new Manager of Marketing & Communications
Janine Framst is a seasoned marketing and communications professional with extensive experience in healthcare and member-based organizations. Before joining the Ontario Physiotherapy Association in June, she led marketing initiatives at the George Hull Centre Institute of Childhood Trauma and Attachment, significantly increasing digital engagement. Her past consulting work with a physiotherapy clinic deepened her appreciation for the profession’s role in improving health outcomes. Janine brings a strategic mindset, a collaborative approach, and a strong commitment to equity and continuous improvement. Contact Janine at jframst@opa.on.ca.
Welcome to Prerna Tawde, new Membership Coordinator
We are delighted to welcome Prerna to the team at OPA. Prerna joined us in early August as our new Membership Coordinator. Prerna is a Healthcare Management professional with a strong background in project management and physiotherapy. She has worked at UHN, where she supported virtual education programs for healthcare providers.
She was trained in India as a physiotherapist where she worked at a multispecialty hospital in Mumbai. With a Master’s in Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy and Postgraduate diploma in Project Management and Healthcare Management, she brings a great combination of skills and experience to our team. Contact Prerna at ptawde@opa.on.ca.
Marcos Rodrigues, Adam A. Saporta, Raj Suppiah, and Kyle Whaley share their perspectives on the benefits of interprofessional collaboration with massage therapists.
Whether it is meeting with clients jointly as health care professionals, coordinating efforts by exchanging observations, developing an effective treatment plan collaboratively or considering the changing client goals together, learn from all the authors about the ways to effectively communicate and collaborate with RMTs in this article.
“Through their combined expertise, RMTs and physiotherapists not only address the mechanical aspects of recovery but also support the sensory, emotional, and psychological dimensions of healing.” – Marcos Rodrigues, PT, MSc, MBA
“Clients feel more supported when they see their therapy team working together, speaking the same language, and reinforcing each other’s interventions with consistency.” – Adam A. Saporta PT, MScPT, PTS
“As a team, physiotherapists and massage therapists must provide their clients with realistic expectations and timelines. Research has shown that treatment planning and effective communication of the plan is as important as the treatment itself. “- Raj Suppiah, BHScHons, MScPT, Cert. MDT, Cert. Sport PT
“By aligning treatment to the patient’s rehab phase—and explicitly linking it to the patient’s rehabilitation goals—RMTs and physiotherapists position themselves as the most effective team in a patient’s recovery.”- Kyle Whaley, BScPT, BSc, BPHE, CAFCI
