Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 811, 2011, Amendment Bylaw No. 1163, 2026
A bylaw to add the Residential and Large Lot Residential Land Use Designations back into Land Use Policy 1.5 of the Official Community Plan.
From: Jason Craig jcraig@bcphysio.org Sent: Monday, March 2, 2026 10:24 PM To: stobias@crd.bc.ca stobias@crd.bc.ca; Don Brown dbrown@viewroyal.ca; Damian Kowalewich DKowalewich@viewroyal.ca; Gery Lemon GLemon@viewroyal.ca; Alison MacKenzie amackenzie@viewroyal.ca; Ron Mattson RMattson@viewroyal.ca; John Rogers JRogers@viewroyal.ca Subject: Expanding Diagnostic Imaging Access in British Columbia: How Physiotherapists Can Support Timely, Cost Effective, and Integrated Care
Hello,
I’m Jason Craig, Director of Advocacy and Research at the Physiotherapy Association of British Columbia. I’m reaching out to request View Royals' support in advocating to the provincial government for a long overdue modernization of our scope of practice—specifically, granting physiotherapists the authority to order diagnostic imaging.
Why this matters:
- Integrating physiotherapists into team-based care models (e.g., emergency departments, primary care, surgical triage) improves access, reduces costs, and enhances patient outcomes.
- While health-care delivery is primarily a federal and provincial responsibility, the Union of BC Municipalities highlights the important role local governments play in health promotion, disease prevention, and community well-being.
How to help:
- The provincial government is currently seeking feedback through an open consultation until March 31, 2026: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/health/practitioner-pro/professional-regulation/sop_policy_intent_feb_2026.pdf
- We would greatly appreciate a brief email of support sent to: PROREGADMIN@gov.bc.ca
- Our full position statement and briefing note are attached. Our complete advocacy toolkit is available here: https://bcphysio.org/advocacy/diagnostic-imaging-scope-of-practice/
Your support would help strengthen the case for this essential scope-of-practice modernization.
Thank you for considering this request. I’m happy to connect or join a Zoom call if you’d like to discuss further.
Jason
Jason Craig, BEd, MPT (he/him) PABC Director of Advocacy and Research Physical Therapy Knowledge Broker UBC Clinical Instructor
jcraig@bcphysio.org Work Days: Mon-Wed
Website: https://physicaltherapy.med.ubc.ca/physical-therapy-knowledge-broker/
I am grateful to live, work, and play on the Unceded Traditional Territory of the K’omoks First Nation, the traditional keepers of this land.
402 – 1755 West Broadway Vancouver, BC V6J 4S5 Canada Tel: 604.736.5130 Toll Free 1.888.330.3999
PABC BRIEFING NOTE
| TITLE: | Expanding Diagnostic Imaging Access in British Columbia: How Physiotherapists Can Support Timely, Cost-Effective, and Integrated Care |
| INTENDED FOR: | Nurse Practitioners and Physicians |
| DATE: | February 3, 2026 |
| FROM: | Jason Craig, PABC Knowledge Lead |
Background
Physiotherapists (PTs) in British Columbia are currently not allowed to order diagnostic imaging (like X-rays or MRIs). This creates unnecessary delays for patients, adds pressure on physicians and nurse practitioners, and underuses the training and skills of physiotherapists—especially when treating active individuals with musculoskeletal issues.
The Physiotherapy Association of BC (PABC) recommends that the government update legislation, regulations, and policies to allow PTs with advanced training to order diagnostic imaging as a restricted activity.
Our Key Recommendations:
- Include coverage under MSP so patients are not out of pocket.
- Define education and training requirements through the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC).
- Implement a formal evaluation after two years to assess the impact.
Research shows that when PTs can order imaging:
- They do so appropriately and responsibly.
- Imaging often changes how patients are treated, leading to better outcomes.
- Diagnoses made by PTs align closely with those made by physicians
- Costs to the system go down.
- Physicians’ time is freed up, allowing them to focus on more complex cases.
Other provinces in Canada already allow this. In BC, both the UBC Department of Physical Therapy and CHCPBC are ready to support the education and regulation needed. Major clinical partners, including BC Children’s Hospital Orthopaedics and the Brenda & David McLean Integrated Spine Clinic, also back this change.
Allowing PTs to order imaging supports team-based care, improves access, and reduces wait times—all of which align with BC’s broader goals for health care transformation.
Discussion
BC’s health care system is stretched:
- 1 in 4 residents lacks access to a primary care provider.
- Emergency department closures and wait times for specialists are worsening.
- The province faces a record $11.6B deficit, demanding smarter health care delivery.
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