Ontario Plans Big Boost to Health-Care Access
Proposed changes would let more health professionals do more — helping cut wait times and ease pressure on hospitals
The Ontario government has announced plans to expand what many regulated health professionals are allowed to do — a move aimed at improving access to care and reducing strain on the province’s overstretched health system.
The proposed changes, currently under consultation, would give optometrists, psychologists, physiotherapists, and others new authorities within their fields, allowing them to work to the full extent of their training and help more people, more quickly.
“Across our province, qualified health-care professionals are ready to contribute more to their communities, ensuring doctors’ offices and emergency departments are available for those who truly need them,” said Sylvia Jones, Ontario’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By working to expand scopes of practice for additional professions, we are building on our progress to make it faster and easier for families to access the care they need, when and where they need it.”
What Could Change
The province is exploring several key changes, including:
- Optometrists could perform minor surgical procedures in-office under local anesthesia, use laser therapy to treat cataracts and glaucoma, order diagnostic tests, and independently treat open-angle glaucoma without a physician referral.
- Psychologists with specialized training could prescribe certain medications, such as antidepressants, and order or interpret diagnostic tests like blood work and urinalysis — integrating therapy and medication management in one place.
- Physiotherapists, chiropractors, dental hygienists, denturists, chiropodists, and speech-language pathologists could be given the authority to order and perform certain diagnostic imaging like x-rays, MRIs, and CT scans.
The province is also directing the Ontario College of Pharmacists to further expand what pharmacists can do — including prescribing for 14 additional common ailments such as mild headaches, shingles, swimmer’s ear, warts, and dry eye. Pharmacists could also give more publicly funded vaccines (including shingles, whooping cough, and pneumonia) and administer Sublocade®, an injectable medication used to treat opioid use disorder.
These changes, officials say, would take pressure off walk-in clinics, family doctors, and emergency rooms, allowing them to focus on patients with more complex needs.
Why It Matters
Since pharmacists were first allowed to assess and prescribe for minor ailments in 2023, the program has provided over 1.8 million assessments, with nearly all community pharmacies now participating. Health leaders say building on that success will make care faster and more convenient.
“Expanding pharmacists’ ability to prescribe for more minor ailments, order lab and point-of-care tests, and administer additional vaccines will give Ontarians faster, more convenient access to care,” said Sandra Hanna, CEO of Neighbourhood Pharmacies. “As the most accessible health-care destination in every community, pharmacies are key to delivering care that strengthens the health system for everyone.”
Mental health professionals also welcomed the news. Richard Morrison of the Ontario Psychological Association called the proposed changes a “milestone,” saying they would reduce delays and improve collaboration between psychologists, physicians, and nurse practitioners.
Physiotherapists, chiropodists, and others echoed that the changes would cut wait times and help people access care closer to home. “These changes will improve access to care, reduce the burden on the health-care system and allow physiotherapists to work to the full extent of their knowledge, skills and training,” said Craig Roxborough, CEO of the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario.
A Step Toward More Connected Care
The proposal is part of Ontario’s broader plan, Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, which aims to make it easier for people to get the care they need when and where they need it — without having to wait months or visit multiple providers unnecessarily.
Health leaders say this shift — letting more providers do more — will make the system faster, more collaborative, and ultimately more resilient.
Want to Learn More?
The province is still in the consultation stage, but if approved, these changes could roll out in the coming months.
To explore the proposed changes and learn more about the Your Health plan, visit:
