Serving the profession since 1926, the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) is the professional organization that gives voice to the nearly 20,000 occupational therapists who work or study in Canada. With our national office located in Ottawa and regional chapters in British Columbia, Quebec, Saskatchewan and the North, CAOT engages in advocacy initiatives that position our professional community to better serve Canadians. Working closely with federal, provincial and international affiliates and partners, CAOT promotes occupational therapy and advances leadership within the profession by addressing priorities and plans that are guided by its membership.
Advocacy focus
CAOT aims to improve the health and well-being of Canadians by supporting its members in having a rewarding, fulfilling occupational therapy career that recognizes the profession’s scope of practice and employs their unique skills, holistic client-centred approach, evidence-based interventions, and collaborative work ethic. By engaging with team players in the public, private, and allied health care sectors, CAOT promotes the profession of occupational therapy as an essential component of an efficient and effective Canadian health care system.
In addition to advocating for access to occupational therapy for all Canadians, CAOT also recognizes the impact of the environment on health and how the occupational therapy profession can be part of the climate change solution for our present and future generations. Climate change affects health and wellbeing and impacts occupations around the world in all cultures and walks of life. For more information about CAOT’s action and resources related to climate change, please click here.
CAOT’s advocacy priorities are determined based on ongoing environmental scans that include reviewing CAOT members’ needs and advocacy requests, understanding current health care needs, and identifying policy windows aligned with government priorities and actions.
Explore our 2023-2024 priorities below:
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| Mental Health | Health Workforce | Extended Health Benefits (EHB) |
Key messages
CAOT believes that optimal care results from an occupational therapist being on the health care team. Including occupational therapists in relevant conversations regarding Federal health transfers and the health care system will bring about more robust solutions for the allocation of scarce health care dollars.
- Occupational therapists remove barriers to everyday living so that people can live their lives to the fullest.
- Occupational therapy is a high impact, low cost health service that supports Canadians to stay well, remain in their homes and continue to be engaged and active in their workplace and community.
- Occupational therapy is both client-centred and holistic – serving the mental, physical, spiritual and environmental needs of Canadians.
- With a unique mix of education and skills training addressing all age groups across many care settings (acute, home, community), occupational therapists provide superior value to the Canadian health care system through early assessment and intervention, preventive strategies and rehabilitation.
- Occupational therapy interventions are both cost effective and clinically effective contributions to the positive health and well-being outcomes for Canadians. These interventions:
- accelerate recovery from illness or injury,
- improve management of illness and disability through personalized care strategies,
- regain independence through rehabilitation,
- decrease the risk of illness recurrence or need for hospital readmission,
- decrease the risk of disability through preventive strategies, and
- reduce absenteeism in the workplace that can result from illness