Making People in Ontario Healthier & Stronger

Land Acknowledgement

“Ontario” comes from Indigenous Iroquoian languages, likely from the Huron word ontarí:io meaning “great lake,” or the Iroquois word kanadario, meaning “sparkling water,” referring to the Great Lakes. The Ontario Physiotherapy Association (OPA) acknowledges these lands as the original ancestral lands to many Indigenous communities. OPA also acknowledges that Ontario is blessed to have the largest number of Indigenous people in Canada and as people living in this province, we all benefit from the cultural richness and the historic care and protection of the land of our Indigenous communities. 

 We also acknowledge that these lands are also home to many people from different parts of the world. Some have come to escape difficult situations in other parts of the world; some have come voluntarily, and some have historically come to these lands involuntarily. OPA wants to acknowledge all people living in Ontario, especially those who have come to these lands as a result of the transatlantic slave trade. 

 As an Association representing members who contribute to the health and wellness of all people living in Ontario, it is important that we also contribute to the expansion of health justice in Ontario. We support and advocate for all people to have access to culturally safe and respectful physiotherapy services by physiotherapists and their teams when needed.