January 30, 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.