OTA and PTA Training

Training programs for OTA and PTAs in Canada may be accredited by the Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Education Accreditation Program (OTA & PTA EAP), which means that the program has been proven to meet established standards for quality.  

For more information about accreditation, visit the OTA & PTA EAP site.

The accreditation process for training programs in Canada ensures that standards are met in regard to Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physical Therapist Assistant disciplines. Some programs in Canada offer training in additional disciplines (such as speech, audiology, or recreation), but additional disciplines are not part of the accreditation process. Only OTA and PTA standards are part of accreditation.

• OTA & PTA EAP Frequently Asked Questions
• Quick Reference for Students

A list of accredited OTA and PTA training programs is available on the OTA & PTA EAP site: affiliated education programs.

COPEC’s position regarding titles

The titles Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant “OTA/PTA” or “OTA & PTA” should be used in contexts where assistants are working under the supervision of an Occupational Therapist (OT) and/or a Physiotherapist (PT). When in alignment with the curriculum, the title OTA & PTA should be considered when naming programs and conferring diplomas.

COPEC is for public institutions. The following institutions are affiliated with COPEC.

PROVINCE	INSTITUTION
BC	Capilano University: North Vancouver
BC	Okanagan College: Kelowna
BC	Vancouver Community College: Vancouver
AB	Bow Valley College
AB	MacEwan University: Edmonton
AB	Medicine Hat College: Medicine Hat
AB	Norquest College: Edmonton
AB	Red Deer College: Red Deer
AB	SAIT: Calgary
MB	Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology
ON	Algonquin College: Ottawa
ON	Canadore College: North Bay
ON	Centennial College: Toronto
ON	Collège Boréal: Sudbury
ON	Conestoga College: Kitchener
ON	Durham College: Oshawa
ON	Fanshawe College
ON	Fleming College: Peterborough
ON	Georgian College: Barrie
ON	Humber College: Toronto
ON	La Cité: Ottawa
ON	Lambton College
ON	Loyalist College
ON	Mohawk College: Hamilton
ON	Niagara College: Welland
ON	Sault College: Sault Ste. Marie
ON	St. Clair College:Thames/ Chatham
ON	Seneca Polytechnic
NFLD	College of the North Atlantic
NS	NSCC – Nova Scotia Community College Cumberland Campus: Springhill
NS	NSCC – Nova Scotia Community College Lunenburg Campus: Bridgewater
NS	Universite Sainte-Anne
PEI	Holland College: Charlottetown

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