skip to content
Find a Physiotherapist
Member Marketplace
Contact Us
Search
Search close
Become a Member
menu close
Search
News & Events arrow_forward_ios
arrow_back
News & Events
close
Advocacy arrow_forward_ios
arrow_back
Advocacy
close
About arrow_forward_ios
arrow_back
About
close
Professional Development arrow_forward_ios
arrow_back
Professional Development
close
Resources arrow_forward_ios
arrow_back
Resources
close
For Patients arrow_forward_ios
arrow_back
For Patients
close
For Members arrow_forward_ios
arrow_back
For Members
close
Find a Physiotherapist
Member Marketplace
Contact Us
Become a Member

Scope of Practice & Labour Mobility

May 7, 2025

OPA applauds MPP France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) for her strong comments in the Ontario Legislative Assembly on April 30, 2025, in support of implementing outstanding scope of practice elements for physiotherapists. As a physiotherapist herself, Mme Gélinas knows the beneficial impacts of PTs gaining the authority to order diagnostic imaging and laboratory tests.  

Mme Gélinas said:

“Back in December of 2009, we voted in this House in favour of changes to the scope of practice of physiotherapists. Why? Because the scope of practice in other provinces had changed. It was time for Ontario to do the same … we are in 2025 and those changes have not been implemented.” 

Her comments were in response to Bill 2, the Ontario Free Trade and Mobility Act, 2025, which would allow workers registered in other Canadian jurisdictions to work ‘as of right.’ Currently, only certain healthcare professionals (physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and medical lab technologists) are included; Bill 2 proposes adding physiotherapists to this list. 

OPA’s submission on Bill 2 supports improved ease of PTs across Canadian jurisdictions, while also highlighting how the implementation of outstanding scope of practice changes, specifically the authority for PTs to order diagnostic imaging and laboratory tests, must be completed to prevent a drain of PTs from Ontario to other jurisdictions with fewer limitations in scope.  

Mme Gélinas raised the same concerns as OPA and spoke powerfully on the risks of PTs moving to other provinces and territories if scope of practice is not harmonized across Canada. She spoke to the competencies of physiotherapists in relation to ordering diagnostic tests, to the success of other jurisdictions that have streamlined the process, the benefits to patients, and the improved access, especially for people without a primary care physician or NP. 

For the full text of France Gélinas’ comments, see the Hansard transcript of the OLA for April 30, 2025, pages 238-240.  

Read OPA’s Submission

College of Veterinarians of Ontario Consultation

February 21, 2025

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. 

Ontario’s Primary Care Action Plan; $1.8 Billion

February 5, 2025  

As a key partner, OPA received a letter from the Deputy Premier & Minister of Health and Dr. Jane Philpott as the Chair of the Primary Care Action Team. We were pleased to see the recognition that Primary Care Teams should be made up of family physicians or nurse practitioners along with nurses, physician assistants, social workers, physiotherapists and other health care professions.   

It is vital that physiotherapists are included in primary care teams given their role in the assessment and management of physical conditions, supporting recovery from surgery or injury, living optimally with chronic conditions and with improving function in their homes and communities.   

OPA believes very strongly in the importance of inter-professional care teams that can draw on the strengths, full scope and collaboration of the regulated health professions to ensure all Ontarians have access to comprehensive, excellent primary care. Expanding access to physiotherapy by physiotherapists through primary care teams will provide essential rehabilitative care.  

Regardless of where they live or their ability to pay, it is essential that Ontarians have timely access to physiotherapists working to their full scope of practice to provide essential rehabilitative care across their life span.   

For more information on OPA’s work and supports in primary care, please contact Amy Hondronicols. 

Read The Letter

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.  

2025 Provincial Election – OPA’s Key Priorities

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. 

Download Candidate Brief

Scope of Practice Submission to the Ministry of Health

December 18, 2024 

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.  

Scope of Practice Information

OPA’s Submission to CPO on Recently Proposed Standards

November 24, 2024 

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. 

Read OPA’s Submission

OPA Submission on 4 CPO Proposed Standards

August 13, 2024 

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. 

Read the Submission

OPA Provides Feedback to Pelvic Floor Muscle Training Submission

June 4, 2024 

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: 

  1. The role of physiotherapists 
  1. Equitable patient care: reducing stigma and increasing access 
  1. Additional considerations to support cost-effectiveness 
  1. Feasibility: how physiotherapists are currently prepared and equipped to act on 
    this recommendation 
  1. Need for consultation 

OPA is committed to supporting any outcomes from this recommendation through consultation with experts in pelvic health, research and system planning. 

Read the Submission

OPA Submission on CPO Standards: Evidence-Informed Practice & Titles, Credentials & Specialty Designations  

May 28, 2024 

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. 

Read OPA’s Submission