The College of Veterinarians of Ontario (CVO) opened a public consultation related to the Veterinary Professionals Act, 2024. Included in this consultation was the opportunity to provide feedback on the authorized activity model and the development of regulatory exemptions for activities performed by non-veterinary animal care providers, such as physiotherapists who also practice animal rehabilitation.
OPA encouraged members to complete the anonymous consultation survey which was open until April 16, 2025.
With the call for a provincial election and a date set for February 27, 2025, OPA recognizes the importance of the next four weeks in engaging candidates and prospective MPPs on the issues that matter. Watch Courtney Bean, OPA President, speak about the upcoming provincial election.
Polling data reinforces that health care and the state of our health system remains a priority for Ontarians. We know that this is a critical time to communicate the priorities of the physiotherapy profession with candidates so that we can continue to make progress and positive change. Ontarians face extraordinary barriers to needed care. This election we believe important issues must be tackled and responded to so that Ontarians have equitable, timely access to the essential services provided by physiotherapists, physiotherapy residents, and physiotherapist assistants.
Here are our four priorities that will contribute to building an effective Health Care system in Ontario:
1. INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PHYSIOTHERAPISTS IN ONTARIO
Growing the number of physiotherapists in Ontario is critical to meet the increasing demands on our system for rehabilitation care in private practice, primary care, hospital care, long-term care and home and community care
2. ADD PHYSIOTHERAPISTS TO MORE INTERPROFESSIONAL CARE TEAMS
Expanding the investment in primary health care organizations by adding physiotherapists is necessary to ensure that all Ontarians have access to primary health care with integrated physiotherapy services. All Ontarians should have the essential healthcare they need, including care by physiotherapists to promote well-being and injury prevention, recover from surgery or injury, and live optimally with chronic conditions in their homes and communities
3. FINALIZE IMPLEMENTATION OF SCOPE OF PRACTICE
It has taken too long! We call on candidates to increase health system capacity and efficiency by finalizing the regulations needed for physiotherapists to practise to their full competencies, including ordering diagnostic imaging and laboratory tests. These include changes that were enabled by the Ontario Legislature in 2009 but have not been implemented by the Ministry of Health. Get it done.
4. RESOLVE PROGRAM AND COMPENSATION RELATED CHALLENGES
There is a need to implement policies and funding increases that support fair, equitable compensation and are comparable to increases in other disciplines of the healthcare workforce (e.g., nurses, mid-wives, physicians). Underfunding physiotherapy leads to service scarcity, long wait times, and poorer health outcomes for Ontarians in publicly funded and insurance-based programs. The inconsistent funding of physiotherapy services severely impacts recruitment and retention with many physiotherapists withdrawing services because of the lack financial viability to deliver.
It is essential that physiotherapists are accessible to Ontarians of all ages and abilities. To support the wellbeing and prosperity of the province, the sustainability of the physiotherapy profession is critical, and to reduce professional attrition, it is imperative that underfunded physiotherapy programs are improved administratively and fiscally, including (1) Community Physiotherapy Program (CPC) (2) Auto Insurance Programs including the Minor Injury Guideline (MIG) and Professional Services Guideline (PSG) and (3) Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) Programs of Care.
Join us in any way you can!
At OPA, we will continue to advocate for the priorities of our members and profession overall and have prepared a candidate brief that we hope will be of value in your discussions.
OPA, in collaboration with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (CPO), provided an update to our long-standing Scope of Practice submission to the Ministry of Health. It was important to incorporate the voice of the profession through the Scope Survey and the almost 1100 responses received.
The Ministry team has received the update with a few minor questions in follow up and we look forward to our next meeting early in 2025. OPA took the opportunity to update Dr. Karima Velji, Chief of Nursing & Professional Practice and Assistant Deputy Minister for the Province of Ontario, with this information as well.
OPA submitted comments to the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario on the most recently proposed standards:
Advertising and Marketing
Documentation (would replace Record Keeping)
Funding, Fees and Billing
OPA provided suggested ways to enhance clarity and comprehensiveness in each of the standards. There is also an opportunity in the Documentation Standard to include how the use of AI may impact record keeping, and any important considerations.
OPA submitted comments to the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario on the open consultation on four Standards:
Collaborative Care Standard
Conflict of Interest Standard
Dual Practice Standard (NEW)
Infection Prevention and Control Standard
This is the third set of consultations in the CPO’s process of adapting the revised Core Standards of Practice for Canadian Physiotherapists, developed in 2023 by the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators.
OPA provided feedback to the Ontario Health’s draft recommendation on Pelvic Floor Muscle Training for Stress Urinary Incontinence, Fecal Incontinence, and Pelvic Organ Prolapse.
OPA supports the recommendation for publicly funding pelvic floor muscle training for stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. We commend Ontario Health for recognizing the evidence for this intervention, and how public access will help ensure that Ontarians have the rehabilitative care needed to improve their function, health, and quality of life.
In this submission, OPA highlights the following areas with further comments:
The role of physiotherapists
Equitable patient care: reducing stigma and increasing access
Additional considerations to support cost-effectiveness
Feasibility: how physiotherapists are currently prepared and equipped to act on this recommendation
Need for consultation
OPA is committed to supporting any outcomes from this recommendation through consultation with experts in pelvic health, research and system planning.
OPA submitted comments to the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario on the open consultation on two standards:
New standard, Evidence-Informed Practice
Revision to, Titles, Credentials, and Specialty Designations
This is the second set of consultations in the CPO’s process of adapting the revised Core Standards of Practice for Canadian Physiotherapists, developed in 2023 by the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators.
During National Physiotherapy Month in May, OPA joined CPA and physiotherapists to meet with federal MPs from Ontario ridings. These meetings have highlighted the benefits of full implementation of physiotherapy scope of practice, and how enabling physiotherapists to order diagnostic imaging and lab tests will improve care for the people of Ontario while reducing costs.
Some of the meetings to date:
Pam Damoff, MP Oakville-North Burlington
Peter Fragiskatos, MP London North Centre
Lindsay Mathyssen, MP London-Fanshawe
Anthony Rota, MP Nipissing-Timiskaming
Valerie Bradford, MP Kitchener South-Hespeler
OPA President, Courtney Bean, and OPA CEO, Sarah Hutchison, have followed up with Ontario’s Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones, and requested a meeting with her and the Deputy Minister, to discuss the outstanding regulations needed.
On Tuesday, April 23, 2024, OPA had the privilege of meeting virtually with MPP France Gélinas, PT, to discuss a letter OPA sent a few days prior to the Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones. Many thanks to Ms. Gélinas, who delivered the letter to Minister Jones that day, for her support for physiotherapists and her work to improve healthcare for Ontarians.
The letter calls for action by the provincial government to fully implement the scope of practice of physiotherapists already passed in legislation in Bill 179. The regulation changes needed for physiotherapists to order diagnostic imaging and lab tests have been outstanding for too long. With scope of practice as the focus for National Physiotherapy Month, it is a timely reminder of how full scope implementation will improve access to health care, cost-effectiveness, and health outcomes for the people of Ontario.
OPA has been keeping members updated on our work over the last two years to resolve issues facing clinics participating, through a Transfer Payment Agreement (TPA) with the Ministry of Health (MoH), in the Community Physiotherapy Clinic (CPC) program.
On March 26, 2024, TPA holders received an update from the Ministry of Health on the changes being made to the Community Physiotherapy Clinic Program and OPA is pleased to see many of the recommendations we made have been accepted.
In particular the following changes positively impact clinics’ costs and provide some flexibility to respond to changes in EOC allocations between contract periods:
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 current ‘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
Enable 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
We are pleased to see an increase in the EOC fee, although it does fall significantly short of matching the inflationary costs affecting the program since its inception in 2013. The changes above will have a positive impact of reducing some of the costs, however, and should be factored in by TPA holders making decisions going forward.
It should be noted that an additional change will impact the eligibility requirements for the program through the removal of the need for an overnight stay at the hospital for those who need physiotherapy after a procedure/surgery.
OPA engaged very intensively and continuously with the Ministry to make the case for these needed changes. We will continue to be fully engaged in revising the Program’s Policies and Procedures, based on these changes. We will also push to initiate a more comprehensive and thorough review of the CPC program, including fees, so that it can be completed well in advance of the expiration of the next TPAs on March 31, 2026. With changes in eligibility criteria, a review is essential to evaluate the demand on the program and other impacts to resources.
Thank you to the members of the CPC working group whose insights, experience and dedication grounded this advocacy work and enabled the Ministry to hear directly from physiotherapists.
If you have additional questions, please contact Amy Hondronicols.
