He celebrates the strength of Ontario’s physiotherapy community, thanks volunteers, and all the physiotherapists, physiotherapist assistants and student members for their contributions. Courtney also acknowledges the many connections OPA maintains with health care leadership, other associations and organizations that help drive our advocacy initiatives forward.
Watch his video now!
The Government of Ontario announced plans to implement regulations allowing physiotherapists to order diagnostic imaging (X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and diagnostic ultrasounds). OPA’s relentlessly advocated through:
We hope to see movement on the scope of practice implementation in 2026!
Support the advocacy work we do on behalf of the physiotherapy community in Ontario. Join OPA/CPA!
Share your insights and help us advocate for meaningful improvements by taking a few minutes to complete this brief survey. Your voice matters!
Your input will help OPA strengthen advocacy efforts and better represent physiotherapy professionals working in Ontario’s Community Physiotherapy Clinic Program.
This survey has 23 questions and should take 10-15 minutes to complete. The survey deadline is November 26, 2025.
Contact Matthew Lister to provide more input or to discuss the survey.
OPA’s four clinical advisory committees meet quarterly, and in their recent October meetings, engaged in discussions around several advocacy items.
The Private Practice Advisory Committee met on October 9, 2025, and focused its advocacy discussions on the following key areas:
The Private Practice Advisory Committee is made up of volunteer members who advise OPA staff and the Board of Directors on issues affecting private practice physiotherapy.
This committee ensures your voice is heard on policy decisions that impact your practice.
Interested in joining? We welcome new volunteer members who want to help shape the future of private practice in Ontario. Contact us at physiomail@opa.on.ca.
Northern Ontario District members welcomed the physiotherapy community to their district’s bi-annual conference in Timmins.
The event took place over two days, from October 3-4, and included many amazing sessions, a pre-conference course, and a chance to network with the Northern and Northwestern Ontario physiotherapy community, among others.
“It was truly a valuable experience for both skill development and networking opportunities. It was great connecting with so many engaged professionals.”
“Amazing coming together of the North.”
When asked what they liked most about the event, attendees shared:
“Networking with colleagues, meeting/interacting with the CEOs of the CPO and OPA”
“Networking with peers and sharing what is important to Northeastern Ontario Physiotherapists with OPA and the College”
Craig Roxborough, Registrar & CEO and Mary-Catherine Fraser Saxena, Manager, Practice Advice (CPO) both echoed there were lots of meaningful conversations, and they appreciated the opportunity to connect with PTs in the North to hear their perspectives.
Courtney Bean, OPA’s President, said he had such a great time and it really filled his bucket. He said he has some good understanding of the challenges of rural care but now realizes the amazing passion of people providing care in rural locations. He also learned a lot about care in the North…a lot more than he ever knew.
Sarah Hutchison, OPA’s CEO, gained a deeper appreciation of the challenges that rural and remote physiotherapists face and how the OPA might advocate further. She also observed that the sense of community was incredible and contagious!
Physio North 2025 is one example of the amazing work done by district volunteers. Thank you to Rhonda Matthews, Northern Ontario District President, and Jody Lemieux, Secretary, for making this event happen!
Regional representation at OPA through our 16 districts is invaluable. While districts may share similarities, understanding the unique populations and advocacy needs in each district contributes to OPA’s success. We encourage all members to get involved in their districts.
OPA is currently looking for member volunteers in these districts. Contact Prerna at ptawde@opa.on.ca if you are interested in volunteering.
OPA has submitted a detailed response addressing all consultation questions, backed by evidence, research, and the results of our 2024 survey of Ontario physiotherapists. Members are welcome to reference, adapt, or use content from our submission in their own responses to the government consultation.
Our submission emphasizes how implementing the authority for physiotherapists to order diagnostic imaging (X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and diagnostic ultrasounds) will:
Our submission includes compelling data from the 2024 OPA survey of Ontario physiotherapists who responded that:
Research from jurisdictions where physiotherapists already have this authority demonstrates:
This consultation focuses on diagnostic imaging. OPA will continue to advocate for the authority to order laboratory tests- the final piece of scope expansion approved under Bill 179 in 2009 that has not yet been implemented.
Your voice matters. Here’s how you can support this critical scope expansion:
Since 2009, physiotherapists have been waiting for the regulations needed to implement scope of practice changes that are already approved in legislation. Four other provinces- Alberta, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and PEI- have successfully implemented this authority for physiotherapists.
With Ontario facing:
OPA remains optimistic that the government will move quickly with the needed regulation changes following this consultation period.
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.
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.
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.
Our voices are stronger together!
Questions? Contact OPA at physiomail@opa.on.ca
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:
On September 10, 2025, Sarah Hutchison, OPA CEO, and Don Gracey, Government Relations for OPA, met with the 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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
Today we recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. On September 30 we honour and remember the Indigenous children who never returned home, survivors of residential schools, and their families and communities.
Watch Courtney Bean, OPA’s President, speak about this day, its history, and significance to all of us. Check out resources below mentioned in the video.
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.
Scope of practice expansion began under the Physiotherapy Act, 1991 in 2009. Specifically, members will recall that the Physiotherapy Act was amended to:
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.
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:
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:
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.
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.
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.
Implementing the authority for physiotherapists to order diagnostic imaging will:
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!
Questions? Contact OPA at physiomail@opa.on.ca