Canadian Association of Occupational Therapy

02/01/2026

OT in the news📰

"Rosalyn chose a career in occupational therapy to be able to help people."

Get more OT news in OT Weekly, your member newsletter, or in our newsletter for non-members!

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L'ergo dans les nouvelles📰

Trouvez d'autres articles sur l'ergothérapie dans l'Hebdo ergo, l'infolettre destinée aux membres, ou dans notre infolettre pour les non-membres!

01/31/2026

Register for next week's workshop with presenter Moira Peña to increase your knowledge and skills in supporting neurodivergent children, teens, and adults who experience sensory processing differences- https://caot.ca/client/event/roster/eventRosterDetails.html?productId=11826&eventRosterId=10

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

✔️ Explain sensory processing, the eight sensory systems and understand their relationship with our physical and mental health.
✔️ Describe the impact of sensory processing challenges on the lived experience of autistic children, youth, and adults and their families.
✔️ Gain an understanding of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), describe new ways of interpreting autism, and be aware of the latest relevant research findings that have implications for occupational therapy practice.
✔️ Describe different types of sensory-based behavioural responses and identify sources of interfering or challenging behaviours such as: anxiety co-occurring medical conditions, autistic behavioural characteristics, etc.
✔️ Select from recommended sensory processing assessments and outcome measures that best support our work with autistic and other neurodivergent people and their families while maintaining a neurodiversity-affirming stance.
✔️ Begin to implement the BEST (Body, Emotional, Sensory and Thinking) approach to support a person’s occupational participation.
✔️ Understand how to implement key solution-focused communication (SFC) principles and strengths-based approaches when supporting neurodivergent people and their families.
✔️ Articulate the key role of occupational therapy in supporting the occupational participation of autistic and other neurodivergent people within collaborative and multidisciplinary contexts.

➡️ The BEST approach: Understanding autism and sensory processing through a strengths-based and neurodiversity-affirming lens
📆 February 12 & 13, 2026 live
🕐️ 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (ET)
Presented by occupational therapist Moira Peña

Register now- https://caot.ca/client/event/roster/eventRosterDetails.html?productId=11826&eventRosterId=10

01/31/2026

🎉Retired OTs can renew or join for FREE in 2026 in honour of our 100th anniversary!

💙 Please share this with your community and retired OT colleagues so we can recognize their important achievements and have them as part of the CAOT community.

Find out more: https://caot.ca/site/membership/category/retired?nav=sidebar&banner=2

01/31/2026

🎉 Les ergothérapeutes à la retraite peuvent renouveler leur adhésion ou s’inscrire GRATUITEMENT en 2026 à l’occasion de notre 100e anniversaire!

💙 Merci de partager cette information avec votre communauté et vos collègues ergothérapeutes à la retraite afin de commémorer leurs réalisations et de les accueillir au sein de la communauté de l’ACE.

Pour plus d’informations : https://caot.ca/site/membership/category/retired?language=fr_FR&nav=sidebar&banner=2

01/30/2026

CAOT is working alongside partner organizations to urge the government to reform the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) and reduce barriers to accessing the Canada Disability Benefit.

We will continue to advocate for amendments to the Income Tax Act to allow occupational therapists to complete the Mental Functions section of the DTC application.

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L’ACE travaille avec des organisations partenaires afin d’inciter le gouvernement à réformer le crédit d’impôt pour personnes handicapées (CIPH) et à réduire les obstacles à l’accès à la Prestation canadienne pour les personnes handicapées.

Nous continuerons de plaider en faveur de modifications à la Loi de l’impôt sur le revenu afin de permettre aux ergothérapeutes de remplir la section portant sur les fonctions mentales de la demande de CIPH.

DWP, together with a group of Canadian health care workers, is asking the federal government, the Department of Finance, and the Canada Revenue Agency to quickly fix problems with the Disability Tax Credit (DTC).

The DTC is the main way people with disabilities access important federal supports, including the Canada Disability Benefit. But the current system makes it too hard for people with disabilities to qualify and creates extra paperwork for doctors and other health professionals, who are already under a lot of pressure. These problems aren’t unavoidable—they’re the result of how the rules are set up, and they can be changed.

The coalition is calling on the federal government to act now. Fixing the Disability Tax Credit is necessary to make sure disability benefits actually work the way Parliament intended and reach the people they’re meant to help.

To learn more: https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/en/dwp-media/fix-disability-tax-credit-dtc-urgent-reform-needed-support-canadians

01/30/2026

Deepen your understanding of the experiences of 2S/LGBTQ+ clients and families in relation to occupational participation and of the scope of occupational therapy in identity-affirming care by registering for this upcoming workshop presented by occupational therapists Holly Reid and Kirby Way-https://caot.ca/client/event/roster/eventRosterDetails.html?productId=11817&eventRosterId=10

You will learn:
✅ Key terminology
✅ Context and language in relation to gender, sexuality and 2S/LGBTQ+ identities
✅ Understanding the connections between the 2S/LGBTQ+ experiences and occupational participation
✅ Exploring facilitators and barriers to participating in gender and sexuality-related occupations
✅ Re-imagining the role of occupational therapy in supporting 2S/LGBTQ+ clients and families

➡️ Identity-affirming occupational therapy: Nuanced approaches to supporting 2S/LGBTQ+ clients and families
📆 June 12, 2026 live
🕑️ 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.(Eastern Time)
Presented by occupational therapists Holly Reid & Kirby Way

Register now- https://caot.ca/client/event/roster/eventRosterDetails.html?productId=11817&eventRosterId=10

01/29/2026

Nouvel épisode balado!🎧

Et si le calme devenait une occupation à part entière?

Natasha Dumont-Carey, egothérapeute qui intègre yoga, méditation et pleine conscience à sa pratique, échange avec l’animatrice Soëla Bandaly autour de la présence, de la lenteur et du ressenti.

Ensemble, elles explorent comment la respiration, l’ancrage et le mouvement intérieur peuvent transformer notre relation thérapeutique et notre façon d’habiter le quotidien. Une conversation douce et profonde qui nous invite à ralentir, à ressentir et à redonner du sens à chaque instant.

Écoutez-le dès maintenant 🔗https://buff.ly/reNQEz8

ACE-Qc

01/29/2026

On January 26, following last week’s joint press conference with Canadian Association of Occupational Therapy(CAOT), SAC and CAOT connected with the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society to talk through next steps in ongoing advocacy efforts. The discussion centered on ensuring First Nations children can access the health care they need, without barriers or delays.

Cindy Blackstock shared that the press conference echoed the priorities the Caring Society has long advanced and helped amplify a message that must be heard by government.

Read the press conference and learn more about SAC’s work on Jordan’s Principle now: https://www.sac-oac.ca/caot-sac-call-for-action-delays-under-jordans-principle/

01/28/2026

Join us for the largest annual gathering of the OT community in Canada as we celebrate CAOT’s 100th anniversary!🥳

Discover inspiring speakers, engaging workshops, posters, networking opportunities, and an innovative Trade Show, along with sessions highlighting the latest research, clinical insights, and best practices.

See the program: https://buff.ly/L7AIIF7

01/28/2026

Participez au plus grand rassemblement annuel de la communauté en ergothérapie au Canada, alors que nous célébrons le 100e anniversaire de l’ACE!🥳

Découvrez des conférenciers et conférencières exceptionnelles, des ateliers dynamiques, des présentations par affiches, des occasions de réseautage et un salon des exposants innovant, ainsi que des séances mettant en lumière les plus récentes recherches, les connaissances cliniques et les meilleures pratiques.

Voir le programme : https://buff.ly/L7AIIF7

01/27/2026

OT in the news 📰

“What appealed to me about OT was it had a real creative element to it. You’re problem-solving to support people in living a meaningful life.”

Get more OT news in OT Weekly, your member newsletter, or in our newsletter for non-members!

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L'ergo dans les nouvelles 📰

Trouvez d'autres articles sur l'ergothérapie dans l'Hebdo ergo, l'infolettre destinée aux membres, ou dans notre infolettre pour les non-membres!

01/26/2026