Protect Access to Physiotherapy for People Injured in Motor Vehicle Accidents
The Issue
To the Government of Ontario and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA):
We, the undersigned, are calling on the Ministry of Finance - Government of Ontario and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) to take immediate action to improve access to physiotherapist’s services for people injured in motor vehicle accidents.
When people living in Ontario are injured in a car accident, they expect their automobile insurance benefits to cover the care they need to recover fully. Yet many accident victims are finding that the funding available for physiotherapist services is not adequate to meet their recovery needs.
Reimbursement Rates are Insufficient
Current reimbursement rates within Ontario's automobile insurance system have not kept pace with inflation or the rising costs of delivering physiotherapy services. As a result, access to care is becoming increasingly difficult for patients and providers alike.
Many injured people in Ontario are being forced to rely on their private extended health benefits or pay out of pocket to access the care they need. Even with recent changes making automobile insurance the first payor, coverage often remains insufficient, leaving patients responsible for co-payments or requiring them to use benefits intended for other healthcare needs.
For some individuals, this means exhausting their workplace health benefits. For others who do not have access to extended health coverage, it means paying out of pocket or going without treatment altogether.
Lack of Funding Impacts Families, Employers and the Health System
Timely access to physiotherapy helps people recover from injury, return to work, resume daily activities, and reduce the long-term impacts of motor vehicle accidents. When access to care is delayed or limited, recovery can take longer and place additional strain on individuals, families, employers, and the broader healthcare system.
People injured in motor vehicle accidents deserve timely access to physiotherapy services without having to depend on workplace health plans or personal savings to fill funding gaps.
No Increases Since 2014 for Physiotherapists Despite 42% Increase in Insurance Premiums
Physiotherapist reimbursement rates under the Professional Services Guideline have not increased since 2014. In contrast, Ontario's five largest automobile insurance groups received approved premium increases averaging approximately 42% between 2018 and 2026, with individual company increases ranging from approximately 35% to more than 60%.
The Ontario Physiotherapy Association's 2026 Ontario Physiotherapy Market Fee Report found that the average fee for a 60-minute physiotherapy assessment or treatment in Ontario is $148.00. By comparison, the Professional Services Guideline continues to reimburse a maximum of $99.75 per hour for non-catastrophic impairments and $119.92 per hour for catastrophic impairments; rates established in 2014 and never updated. This means that, while insurers have been allowed to substantially increase the premiums they charge drivers, physiotherapists treating those injured drivers are still being paid at outdated rates that fall well below current market fees, creating a growing gap between insurer revenues and provider compensation.
Increase Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Reimbursement Rates Now
We call on the Government of Ontario and FSRA to review and substantially increase physiotherapy and rehabilitation reimbursement rates within Ontario's automobile insurance system. Ensure that funding levels reflect the realities of delivering care in Ontario today.
By signing this petition, you are urging decision-makers to put patients first. Ensure that all people living in Ontario injured in motor vehicle accidents can access the rehabilitation care they need to recover and return to their lives.
Sign to support fair access to physiotherapist care for accident victims in Ontario.
332
The Issue
To the Government of Ontario and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA):
We, the undersigned, are calling on the Ministry of Finance - Government of Ontario and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) to take immediate action to improve access to physiotherapist’s services for people injured in motor vehicle accidents.
When people living in Ontario are injured in a car accident, they expect their automobile insurance benefits to cover the care they need to recover fully. Yet many accident victims are finding that the funding available for physiotherapist services is not adequate to meet their recovery needs.
Reimbursement Rates are Insufficient
Current reimbursement rates within Ontario's automobile insurance system have not kept pace with inflation or the rising costs of delivering physiotherapy services. As a result, access to care is becoming increasingly difficult for patients and providers alike.
Many injured people in Ontario are being forced to rely on their private extended health benefits or pay out of pocket to access the care they need. Even with recent changes making automobile insurance the first payor, coverage often remains insufficient, leaving patients responsible for co-payments or requiring them to use benefits intended for other healthcare needs.
For some individuals, this means exhausting their workplace health benefits. For others who do not have access to extended health coverage, it means paying out of pocket or going without treatment altogether.
Lack of Funding Impacts Families, Employers and the Health System
Timely access to physiotherapy helps people recover from injury, return to work, resume daily activities, and reduce the long-term impacts of motor vehicle accidents. When access to care is delayed or limited, recovery can take longer and place additional strain on individuals, families, employers, and the broader healthcare system.
People injured in motor vehicle accidents deserve timely access to physiotherapy services without having to depend on workplace health plans or personal savings to fill funding gaps.
No Increases Since 2014 for Physiotherapists Despite 42% Increase in Insurance Premiums
Physiotherapist reimbursement rates under the Professional Services Guideline have not increased since 2014. In contrast, Ontario's five largest automobile insurance groups received approved premium increases averaging approximately 42% between 2018 and 2026, with individual company increases ranging from approximately 35% to more than 60%.
The Ontario Physiotherapy Association's 2026 Ontario Physiotherapy Market Fee Report found that the average fee for a 60-minute physiotherapy assessment or treatment in Ontario is $148.00. By comparison, the Professional Services Guideline continues to reimburse a maximum of $99.75 per hour for non-catastrophic impairments and $119.92 per hour for catastrophic impairments; rates established in 2014 and never updated. This means that, while insurers have been allowed to substantially increase the premiums they charge drivers, physiotherapists treating those injured drivers are still being paid at outdated rates that fall well below current market fees, creating a growing gap between insurer revenues and provider compensation.
Increase Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Reimbursement Rates Now
We call on the Government of Ontario and FSRA to review and substantially increase physiotherapy and rehabilitation reimbursement rates within Ontario's automobile insurance system. Ensure that funding levels reflect the realities of delivering care in Ontario today.
By signing this petition, you are urging decision-makers to put patients first. Ensure that all people living in Ontario injured in motor vehicle accidents can access the rehabilitation care they need to recover and return to their lives.
Sign to support fair access to physiotherapist care for accident victims in Ontario.
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Petition created on July 17, 2026