Short answer: yes. Physiotherapy qualifies as an eligible medical expense under the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC). If you’ve been paying out of pocket for physiotherapy, whether partially or fully, you may be able to claim those costs on your income tax return and reduce the amount of tax you owe.
Here’s what you need to know.
How the Medical Expense Tax Credit Works
The METC isn’t a straight deduction from your income. It’s a non-refundable tax credit, which means it reduces the tax you pay rather than your taxable income. The distinction matters, but the bottom line is the same: it puts money back in your pocket.
To claim it, your total eligible medical expenses need to exceed a minimum threshold. For the 2025 tax year, that threshold is the lesser of $2,834 or 3% of your net income (line 23600). Only the amount above that threshold counts toward your credit. The federal credit rate is 15%, and Ontario adds its own provincial credit on top of that.
Here’s a quick example. Say your net income is $70,000. Three percent of that is $2,100, which is less than $2,834, so your threshold is $2,100. If you had $3,500 in total eligible medical expenses (physiotherapy plus any other qualifying costs), you could claim the credit on the $1,400 that exceeds the threshold.
It’s worth noting that you can choose any 12-month period ending in the tax year to calculate your claim, it doesn’t have to follow the calendar year. This flexibility can help you group expenses strategically to get past the threshold.
What Counts as an Eligible Physiotherapy Expense
In Ontario, physiotherapists are recognized as authorized medical practitioners by the CRA. That means fees paid to a Registered Physiotherapist for assessment and treatment qualify as eligible medical expenses, no doctor’s prescription or referral is required for the expense to be claimable.
What you can claim:
- Fees for physiotherapy assessments and treatments paid out of pocket
- The portion of physiotherapy costs not reimbursed by your insurance plan
- Physiotherapy provided at a clinic or through in-home visits
What you cannot claim:
- Amounts already reimbursed by your extended health insurance or employer benefit plan
- Gym memberships or fitness classes (even if recommended by a physiotherapist)
- Products like foam rollers or exercise equipment purchased on your own
The key rule: you can only claim what you actually paid out of pocket. If your insurance covered 80% of a session, you claim the remaining 20%.
Other Helping Hands Services You Can Claim
Physiotherapy isn’t the only service at our clinics that qualifies. In Ontario, fees from chiropractors, acupuncturists, and registered massage therapists are also eligible for the METC. So if you’re receiving a combination of treatments at Helping Hands Physiotherapy in Woodbridge or Thornhill, say, physiotherapy plus massage therapy or acupuncture, all of those out-of-pocket costs can be combined into your total medical expense claim.
This is useful because a single service might not push you past the threshold on its own. But physiotherapy, massage, and chiropractic fees stacked together, along with other qualifying expenses like dental work, prescription medications, or custom orthotics, often will.
Who Can You Claim For?
You can claim medical expenses paid for yourself, your spouse or common-law partner, and your dependent children under 18 on line 33099 of your tax return. If you’re covering expenses for other dependants, such as an aging parent or adult child, those go on line 33199, with a separate threshold calculation for each.
Tax tip: It’s usually better for the spouse or partner with the lower net income to claim the medical expenses, since the threshold (3% of net income) will be lower, meaning more of the expenses qualify for the credit.
What You Need to Keep
The CRA doesn’t ask you to submit receipts when you file electronically, but they can request them later. Hold onto everything for at least six years:
- Official receipts from the clinic showing the provider’s name, credentials, date of service, and amount paid
- Insurance statements showing what was reimbursed and what you paid out of pocket
- Any referral letters, if applicable (though they’re not required for physiotherapy in Ontario)
At Helping Hands, every receipt we issue includes the physiotherapist’s registration details and meets CRA documentation requirements. We also offer direct billing to most insurance providers, which simplifies tracking your unreimbursed portion.
A Note on OHIP-Funded Physiotherapy
If you receive OHIP-covered physiotherapy, there’s no out-of-pocket cost, so there’s nothing to claim. The METC only applies to expenses you paid yourself. However, most privately delivered physiotherapy (like what we provide at Helping Hands) is not covered by OHIP, which means those costs are eligible for your tax return.
The Bottom Line
Physiotherapy is a recognized medical expense in Canada, and claiming it on your taxes is straightforward. Keep your receipts, track what your insurance doesn’t cover, and combine your physiotherapy costs with other eligible medical expenses to maximize your credit.
We always recommend consulting with a tax professional or accountant for advice specific to your situation. For more on how much physiotherapy costs in Ontario and what insurance typically covers, we’ve got a detailed guide on that as well.
Helping Hands Physiotherapy in Woodbridge & Thornhill Locations
Woodbridge Physiotherapy Clinic
9750 Weston Rd., Woodbridge, Ontario, L4H 2Z7
Phone: 647-946-1611
Email: [email protected]
Thornhill Physiotherapy Clinic
800 Steeles Ave W Unit 4A, Thornhill, ON L4J 7L2
Phone: 905-695-7775
Email: [email protected]
