The College’s Registration Regulation outlines the requirements to become registered to practice
as a physiotherapist/physical therapist in Ontario. These requirements include: having a degree in
physiotherapy; completing a standardized examination of competency; demonstrating language
fluency; having professional liability insurance; providing evidence of current practice and
demonstrating good conduct/character. The following describes these registration requirements in
more detail and provides a rationale for why each is necessary to become registered to practice and use
the title physiotherapist/physical therapist in Ontario.
1. Degree in physiotherapy
Rationale for
Registration Requirements
Rationale for Registration Requirements -
A degree in physiotherapy” means,
(a) a minimum of a baccalaureate (bachelor’s) degree in a physiotherapy education program at an
approved Canadian university, or
(b) an academic qualification from outside Canada that is considered to be substantially similar to
the qualification in clause (a).
Rationale:
In Ontario, physiotherapists/physical therapists work as autonomous health professionals. This means
that the public can see a physiotherapist/physical therapist directly without a referral from another
health professional. It is important that physiotherapists/physical therapists have the appropriate
education required for this level of responsibility. The minimum education requirement for a bachelor’s
degree in physiotherapy from an approved Canadian university (or program deemed substantially
similar) ensures that the applicant has the necessary educational foundation (e.g., knowledge, skills,
and abilities) for safe, effective and ethical practice as a physiotherapist.
2. Successful completion of the Physiotherapy Competency Exam (PCE).
The Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE) is the national standard used to evaluate whether
applicants have attained the essential competencies of physiotherapy practice. The PCE is a valid and
reliable method to evaluate an applicant’s knowledge, skills and abilities. There are two parts to the PCE,
a written component and a clinical component. Each component provides slightly different information
about the applicant’s competence:
• The Written Component tests a broad base of physiotherapy knowledge in the various areas of
practice (i.e., musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiopulmonary-vascular and multisystem) using
a multiple choice question format. The Written Component also tests the ability to use and
integrate clinical knowledge and to solve clinical problems using clinical scenarios.
• The Clinical Component tests how applicants can safely and effectively apply the principles
and processes of physiotherapy practice in a standardized simulated clinical experience (i.e.,
using an Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) format). The knowledge, skills and abilities
assessed by the Clinical Component also include communication skills and professional
behaviour.
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Rationale:
3. Evidence of good conduct/character
Applicants are required to demonstrate that their past and present conduct affords reasonable grounds
for belief that he or she, is mentally competent to practise physiotherapy; will practise physiotherapy
with decency, integrity and honesty and in accordance with the law; and can communicate effectively
with, and will display an appropriate attitude towards, patients and colleagues.
Rationale for
Registration Requirements
The role of the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario is to ensure that physiotherapists/physical
therapists provide high quality, competent and ethical services so that members of the public are safe
when they receive care from a physiotherapist/physical therapist. One of the ways the College does this
is by using a consistent, objective and defensible standard for all applicants who want to register to
practise physiotherapy in Ontario, no matter where they have completed their physiotherapy education.
Applicants are required to demonstrate good conduct/character by:
a) providing a letter of professional standing (or a completed verification of registration) from other
jurisdictions where they have practiced physiotherapy and where licensing or registration exists;
b) responding to a series of questions related to their professional conduct, e.g.:
• Have you had a finding of professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity?
• Have you ever had your practice certificate, license or registration revoked?
• Have you ever been found guilty of a criminal offense or an offense related to the practice of
physiotherapy?
c) signing a declaration indicating that all information provided is complete and correct to the best
of their knowledge
Rationale
Evidence of good conduct/character is required for safe and ethical physiotherapy practice. The letter of
professional standing provides assurance that that the applicant is in good standing with the regulatory
body in current and previous jurisdictions. The questions and the declaration are intended to provide
assurance of the decency, integrity and honesty of the applicant’s past conduct and that the applicant
accepts accountability for his or her conduct.
d) Language
Applicants must be able to speak and write either French or English with reasonable fluency.
Rationale:
Canada has two official languages, English and French. A minimum level of communication skill, in
either English or French, is a requirement for safe and effective practice as a physiotherapist/physical
therapist. Applicants who received their physiotherapy education in either English or French are
considered fluent. Applicants whose physiotherapy education was provided in a language other than
English or French must provide evidence of language fluency in one of the two official languages.
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e) Liability Insurance
Rationale:
The requirement to be personally insured against professional liability under a professional liability
insurance policy applies to all regulated health professional in Ontario. Liability insurance demonstrates
that physiotherapists/physical therapists, as autonomous health professionals, take personal
responsibility and are accountable for their actions.
f) Evidence of Current Practice
Rationale for
Registration Requirements
Applicants are required to demonstrate that they hold professional liability insurance that meets the
requirements outlined in the College by-laws.
Individuals applying for an independent practice certificate are required to demonstrate that they have
either practised physiotherapy for at least 1,200 hours in the five years immediately preceding the
application or that they have completed the PCE in the previous five years.
Rationale:
Practitioners who are competent today may not be competent tomorrow, not only because of loss
of skills, but because of the need to keep up with ongoing research and development in their field.
Research shows that practitioners have a greater chance of maintaining competency if they are exposed
to some level of current practice knowledge, thinking, skill development, and integration. In other
words, being current does not ensure competency, but to be competent you need to be current. Having
1200 hours of practice or successfully completing the PCE in the previous 5 years demonstrates currency
in practice.
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