Research Archives - Page 3 of 7 - Ontario Physiotherapy Association

Annual Fee Guideline Review: We Want Your Input!

Nearly one year has passed since OPA published the 2024 Physiotherapy Fee Guideline, and we’re continuing our commitment to annual reviews that keep pace with the evolving private practice landscape.

Supporting Your Practice Success

The Annual Fee Guideline Review ensures that physiotherapists have access to current, relevant fee guidance. This review process examines market trends, practice realities, and member needs, to deliver a tool that serves our profession.

This resource is designed for all physiotherapists, with particular focus on those in private practice who face daily decisions about fee structures while striving to deliver exceptional patient care and maintain sustainable businesses.

Addressing Real Practice Challenges

We know you’re navigating an increasingly complex practice environment. Economic pressures, changing patient expectations, insurance considerations, and evolving service delivery models all impact how you structure your fees. Without current guidance, it becomes challenging to make confident decisions that balance patient accessibility with practice sustainability.

The private practice landscape doesn’t stand still, and neither should the resources that support your success.

How Your Input Drives Meaningful Updates

Our annual review process is built on member engagement. We’re seeking your insights through a survey that explores your current fees, fee models, and experiences using the Fee Guideline as an advocacy tool in your practice.

This data collection allows us to continue to evolve and modify the Guideline with your real-world experience as the foundation.

The Value You Receive

By participating in this annual review, you gain:

Evidence-based fee guidance that reflects current market conditions

A powerful advocacy tool to support conversations with patients, insurance providers, and other stakeholders

Professional confidence in your fee decisions, backed by peer input

Practice sustainability support that helps balance patient care with business viability

Community connection through shared insights and collective professional growth

Your Participation Matters

The survey takes just minutes to complete but provides invaluable insights that strengthen our entire profession. Your responses help us understand emerging trends, identify challenges, and ensure the Fee Guideline remains practically relevant for diverse practice settings across Ontario.

By participating, you are actively contributing to a resource that supports thousands of physiotherapists in delivering quality care while maintaining sustainable practices.

Looking Forward

Stay tuned for updates this fall as we compile insights, analyze trends, and prepare the updated guideline. This collaborative approach ensures the Fee Guideline continues evolving as a relevant, practical tool that serves our growing professional community.

Supporting Your Professional Journey

This annual review exemplifies why OPA exists: to provide physiotherapists with the tools, resources, and support needed to thrive in all practice settings. Whether you’re establishing fees for a new service, advocating with insurance providers, or simply ensuring your practice remains sustainable, the Fee Guideline serves as your professional foundation.

Ready to contribute? Complete the survey today and help shape the resource that supports our profession’s future.

InterACTION in 2026 and CPA Congress Call for Submissions

The Canadian Physiotherapy Association has opened the Call for Presentations for abstracts to be considered for Congress 2026, hosted in Halifax, Nova Scotia from May 28-30, 2026. The Call for Presentations is open from July 2 until October 9, 2025.

For 2026, OPA has decided to promote participation by Ontario members to both submit proposals for Congress and attend in Halifax in May. By facilitating attendance in alternating years at Congress and OPA’s InterACTION, there is an opportunity to create events with robust discussions from members of the physiotherapy community across the country.

This decision will also enable OPA to imagine and host different types of events in 2026. Stay tuned for details about these innovative offerings throughout 2026. We will be planning to offer our next InterACTION Conference in 2027.

Congress 2026 Submission Requirements

Submissions for CPA Congress 2026 must:

Apply to one of the 18 themes or practice areas identified in the call

Be evidence-informed and directly related to physiotherapy practice

Showcase best practices and innovation

Prioritize engagement and practical application

Congress is an excellent opportunity for Ontario physiotherapists to share their expertise, research, and innovative practices with colleagues from across Canada while contributing to the advancement of the profession nationally.

OPA encourages members to submitting proposals that highlight the outstanding work being done by physiotherapists across Ontario. Your participation helps ensure that Ontario’s voice and expertise are well-represented at this national gathering.

For full details and a submission guide, please visit CPA’s Call for Presentations.

Submission Deadline: October 9, 2025

OPA is Hiring: Director – Practice and Policy

The Ontario Physiotherapy Association (OPA) is searching for a strategic and experienced professional to join our team as Director – Practice and Policy. This permanent, full-time position offers an exceptional opportunity to shape the future of physiotherapy practice across Ontario while advancing the profession through policy development, advocacy, and member services.

Job Description

Director – Practice and Policy – Permanent Full Time Position

The Ontario Physiotherapy Association (OPA) is a dynamic professional non-profit organization with over 5,500 physiotherapist, physiotherapist assistant and student members across the province. We are committed to the values of equity, diversity and inclusion and welcome those who will help us increase our capacity for diversity. OPA welcomes all qualified applicants and we encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including Black, Indigenous and other racialized persons, and persons with disabilities.

The Director, Practice and Policy, is the Association’s primary contact with and resource to staff, members, volunteers and the public in the areas of practice and policy related to physiotherapy in Ontario. They are responsible for activities that contribute to the achievement of OPA’s strategic goals in member services, professional practice issues and resources, advocacy, policy and strategic partnerships.

Key Responsibilities

Manage internal and external environmental scanning and analysis of existing and emerging legislation and policy pertaining to physiotherapy in Ontario.
Identify and research emerging issues related to the practice of physiotherapy and recommend and implement strategies.
Develop policy and advocacy positions on behalf of OPA members.
Provide support to the Board of Directors, Advisory Committees and other governance groups related to the work of the Association.
Contribute to the development of the Strategic and Operational Plans, monitors and reports on the progress of annual objectives of the Association.
Develop and/or coordinate content related to areas of responsibility for association communication vehicles including newsletter, website and social media.
Lead and manage the education portfolio, including the OPA conference.
Oversee all aspects of members services, including evaluation of current programs and services and recommending and developing new member services to enhance the value of membership.
Participate in the hiring process of staff; responsible for the supervision and development of staff in the practice and policy area.
Acts as senior manager in the absence of the CEO and supports the CEO as a member of senior management.

Requirements

Knowledge:

Knowledge and experience with provincial/regional health systems and health system policy

Graduate degree in a relevant field (e.g. public relations, political science, health policy, public or business administration) an asset

Masters of Science in Physical Therapy – plus current registration with a Canadian regulatory College of Physiotherapists (in good standing)

Experience:

5+ years of progressive leadership experience
Policy & Advocacy experience
Experience working with volunteers in a not-for-profit environment an asset

Skillsets:

5+ years of progressive leadership experience
Policy & Advocacy experience
Experience working with volunteers in a not-for-profit environment an asset
Skillsets:
Excellent interpersonal skills including team building, mentoring, networking and leadership
Strong analytical, facilitation, presentation and communication, including written, skills
Ability to search for and synthesize information and research
Solid time management, organizational and coordination skills
Strong problem-solving skills combined with effective risk management skills

Location
Hybrid – this position is a combination of work from home and in-person at our office location at 110 Sheppard Ave East, Toronto. The successful candidate will need to be available to work regular hours and occasional evenings and weekends.

Compensation
Salary Range: $90,000 to $115,000. Offer commensurate with experience.
Comprehensive Benefit Package.

Contact Information
Interested individuals are directed to forward a letter of interest and resume by Friday, August 22nd 2025.
Send your application to the attention of:
Sarah Hutchison, CEO
sh utchison@opa.on.ca
Please also send electronically to:
apply@opa.on.ca

OPA Campaign Wins Awards

July 17, 2025

OPA currently partners with SalesLoop, a marketing agency, on projects that elevate the profession and the Association and to increase our reach. Based on our strategic plan, OPA determines each year what strategies may require the investment of valuable membership dollars into our campaigns.

Silver from Telly Awards (2025)

In 2024, we launched a campaign “New Voices, New Ideas & New Opportunities” highlighting our change in leadership with our new CEO, Sarah Hutchison, and President, Courtney Bean and how we continue to evolve to meet the needs of the physiotherapy community. We also showcased our Board of Directors and the value we continue to bring to our members.

SalesLoop entered our campaign into the Telly Awards competition, and we won a Silver Award! By winning a Silver, our project was recognized as an exclusive group of work that meets higher than average standards. Watch the award winning video below.

Campaign Also Wins 3 Gold Healthcare Digital Marketing Awards (2024)

This same campaign, “New Voices, New Ideas & New Opportunities” also won three gold Healthcare Digital Marketing Awards for our campaign emails, microsite and video.

Why Does This Matter?

Winning awards not only feels great but demonstrates that we are investing your membership dollars into campaigns that are effective in meeting our goals and elevating the profession. We have partnered with SalesLoop since 2016 and they continue to go above and beyond. They ensure that our objectives are thoughtfully considered so that we can determine together the best and most cost-effective ways to meet our goals.

About the Telly Awards (2025)

The Tellys honour excellence in video and television across all screens. The Telly Awards recognize work in Branded Content, Commercials & Marketing, Immersive & Mixed Reality, Non-Broadcast, Online and Television Series, Shows & Segments, Social Video, and Film & Shorts.

The competition received over 13,000 entries globally from six continents and all 50 U.S. states.

Entries were judged by a council of over 250 industry experts from organizations such as Netflix, Adobe, PlutoTV, Gymnasium, RunwayML, and more

Gold Telly Award is the highest honour, awarded exclusively to the top 3% of winning entries, representing the highest marker of excellence.

Silver Telly Award is awarded to entries that meet a high standard of creative distinction but do not reach the Gold level.

Bronze Telly Award recognizes commendable work that meets the entry criteria but scores lower than Silver and Gold.

Learn more

About the Healthcare Digital Marketing Awards (2024)

The Healthcare Digital Marketing Awards recognizes the best healthcare websites, digital content, electronic communications, mobile media and social media.

This national competition began its efforts to recognize the field of healthcare marketing and advertising in the pioneering area of digital marketing.

OPA was won 3 of the 190 awards issued in 2024

Gold (102), Silver (48), Bronze (24), and Merit (16)

A total of 62 institutions were awarded

Learn more

Courtney Bean, OPA’s President Message, July 2025

July 9, 2025

OPA President Courtney Bean shares a summer message and key updates from the June Board discussions. He highlights the continued push for expanded scope of practice, OPA’s advocacy for physiotherapy in primary care, and efforts to support governance model reviews in light of ONCA. Courtney also touches on recent submissions regarding provisional practice, a new position statement supporting Jordan’s Principle, and advocacy for PT roles in integrated health centers.

Take Action and send a letter to Premier Doug Ford & Health Minister Sylvia Jones on completing the regulations for scope of practice. It takes only 1 minute to add your name and email.

Happy National Physiotherapy Month 2025!

May 27, 2025

At Queens Park, MPP France Gélinas took time to wish the entire physiotherapy community a very happy National Physiotherapy Month, along with OPA CEO Sarah Hutchison.

CPO General Regulation Consultation – Removal of Provisional Practice Class

June 10, 2025

The College of Physiotherapists of Ontario recently closed a consultation on proposed changes to the general regulation, including removal of the provisional practice certificate class.

OPA reviewed the proposed changes, collected feedback from the physiotherapy community, and submitted a response to the College. In our response, we highlighted risks and challenges with removing the provisional practice class, including health human resource implications, challenges for internationally educated physiotherapists, equity and accessibility of a single examination, and the need for emergency preparedness and response protocols.

Read OPA’s response

Meeting with Premier Doug Ford & Minister of Health Sylvia Jones

May 8, 2025

On May 8, President Courtney Bean joined Isaac Taylor, Physiotherapist to meet with Premier Ford and Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones, advocating and engaging on issues that really matter to the profession. This meeting provided the opportunity to talk about how physiotherapists can make an impact on ER wait times, the role of first contact physiotherapists in expanding access to primary care, integrated community care and transitions between hospital and home, and of course of critical importance – expanding scope of practice for physiotherapists across Ontario.

Minister Jones heard and understood the priority of the profession in advancing Scope of Practice in Ontario and we remain optimistic that this will progress to implementation over the course of the summer. We want to thank Minister Jones for acknowledging National Physiotherapy Month and thanking PTs for their contributions to the Ontario health system.

At OPA, this opportunity is core to our mission and our commitment to influence and shape decisions that affect the profession and the patients you treat across the province.

Jordan’s Principle – What Ontario Physiotherapists Need to Know

June 17, 2025

If you work with First Nations children, you may have experienced the frustration of months spent waiting for contract renewals, compensation delays, and approval processes that seem to change without notice; administrative backlogs preventing First Nations children from accessing the physiotherapy services they need.

This goes against everything Jordan’s Principle was designed to address, and OPA has developed a position statement advocating for reform to the processes that create systemic barriers.

Who Was Jordan?

Jordan River Anderson “was a member of the Norway House Cree Nation. Born in Manitoba on October 22, 1999, he lived with a rare genetic disorder that required intensive medical care” (Canada’s Residential Schools: The Legacy, 2015).

At age two, he was medically cleared to go home with support services. But the federal and provincial governments couldn’t agree on who should pay for his care. Jordan waited in the hospital for three more years, dying at age five without ever spending a day at home, not because he was too sick to leave, but because of a funding dispute.

What Jordan’s Principle Means

Jordan’s story led to the creation of Jordan’s Principle in 2007, a human rights principle “that guarantees timely access for status and non-status First Nations children to all public services without delay due to jurisdictional disputes, and comparable services to those provided to non-First Nations children.” (Canada’s Residential Schools: The Legacy, 2015)

The Current Reality

Despite this principle, OPA continues to hear from rehabilitation providers who struggle with:

Contract renewals dragging on for months

Administrative backlogs preventing timely access to care

Compensation delays

Lack of clear communication about how issues will be resolved

These challenges directly impact the First Nations children and families who depend on physiotherapy services.

What OPA Is Doing

Recognizing these challenges, OPA has developed a position statement advocating for improved Jordan’s Principle processes.

With Indigenous Services Canada committed to reforming the administration, OPA is pushing for:

Reduced systemic barriers that prevent access to physiotherapy services

Culturally safe service delivery with collaborative community co-design

Continuity of care through longer-term contracts with trusted partners

Increased administrative capacity with transparency to address backlogs

Recognition of physiotherapy as essential preventive and early intervention care

Why This Matters

Jordan’s Principle addresses barriers and biases that create gaps in service access for Indigenous children. When administrative obstacles prevent First Nations children from getting needed physiotherapy, we perpetuate health disparities rooted in historical policies and systemic biases.

As physiotherapists, your expertise helps children overcome physical challenges and participate fully in their communities. Prompt access to physiotherapy prevents complications, reduces pain and dysfunction, and enables children to return to school, play, and home activities with improved function.

Moving Forward

Work to improve the implementation of Jordan’s Principle continues. First Nations children require timely access to the same quality of care available to other Canadian children. As physiotherapists, you play a crucial role in supporting improved access to care.

OPA continues to support and advocate for physiotherapists working in this area, ensuring that systemic improvements benefit both practitioners and patients. Learn more about Jordan’s Principle

Read OPA’s full Position Statement on Jordan’s Principle

Reference

Canada’s Residential Schools: The Legacy. (2015). The Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Volume 5. McGill-Queen’s University Press. https://core.ac.uk/download/480182666.pdf

Courtney Bean, OPA’s President Message – March 2025

March 26, 2025

Watch Courtney Bean, Physiotherapist and OPA’s President share highlights from InterACTION 2025. InterACTION is OPA’s annual conference, bringing together physiotherapists, physiotherapy residents, physiotherapist assistants and students from across the province.