Minister of Health Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos Asserts Support for the Profession of Physiotherapy at Canadian Physiotherapy Association Congress 2023

Quebec City, QC — The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, asserted his support for the valuable expertise and skills that physiotherapy professionals bring to the Canadian health care system on Thursday when he met with members of the profession at the 2023 Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA) Congress in Quebec City.

“Physiotherapy professionals play a vital role in our health care system. The education, training, and experience they acquire to provide pain management and rehabilitative care helps people live better and healthier lives,” said the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Canada’s Minister of Health. “Thank you to all physiotherapy professionals for their dedication to providing quality care and improving patient health outcomes while strengthening health care through evidence-based models.”

CPA President Allison Stene, CPA Chief Executive Officer Krissy Bell, and a national representation of renowned academics, leading researchers, and top clinicians and regulators, met with the Minister to discuss how the expertise of physiotherapy professionals can be leveraged to optimize the Canadian healthcare system, and to illustrate the key role that physiotherapy professionals can play in health workforce planning and health system modernization.

“Physiotherapy is a multi-dimensional expertise that can be leveraged and optimized to support Canada’s health care system and federal health planning,” stated Stene, who spent the bulk of her physiotherapy career in public practice with a special interest in critical care. “We were delighted to speak with Minister Duclos and to assert our commitment to working together with the federal government to leverage the opportunities that our profession can bring to the table when working to address the challenges being experienced within the Canadian healthcare system following the pandemic.”

Bell added: “Health care is evolving in front of our eyes. On the heels of a pandemic, in a strained system, the CPA and physiotherapy professionals know the positive economic and health value we bring to the Canadian healthcare system. The CPA is committed to supporting our members and the profession to step into the gaps in the healthcare system and to advance the best interests of Canadians through innovative models of evidence-based care. We’re so proud of how our members and leaders showed up today to represent the profession, and we remain committed to leveraging this positive step to build momentum in our advocacy efforts and to enhance access to physiotherapy across the country.”

The CPA Annual Congress hosts a gathering of physiotherapy professionals to participate in community engagement, research, education, workshops, plenaries, keynotes, and networking opportunities. The event wraps up Saturday.

About the CPA

The Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA) represents physiotherapy professionals, including registered physiotherapists, physiotherapist assistants, physiotherapy technologists, and students across Canada. Physiotherapy professionals provide essential rehabilitative care and treatment, enabling Canadians to live well and actively participate in all facets of their lives.

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