Today, the Ontario government introduced the Protect Ontario through Free Trade within Canada Act to unlock free trade and labour mobility within Canada.
Plans to introduce new regulations that will make it easier for health care workers from other parts of Canada to start working in Ontario are included in the announcement. If passed, these changes will allow health care professionals who are already licensed or registered in another Canadian province or territory to practice in Ontario without delays.
The College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO) protects the public by ensuring that all Ontarians have access to safe, competent, and ethical occupational therapy services.
We look forward to learning more about the new regulations and sharing feedback to support patient and client safety.
COTO is committed to registering as many qualified occupational therapists as possible—professionals who have the knowledge, skills, and judgment to deliver safe care. We continue to work closely with the government and other health system partners to support more health care workers in Ontario.
Information about the current process for occupational therapists practicing in another province to register in Ontario under labour mobility provisions is available on our website.
Currently, there are 7,392 occupational therapists in Ontario. We’re excited to keep building on that momentum while doing our part to protect the public and support Ontario’s growing health care needs.