In January 2025, new Standards of Practice came into effect for physiotherapists in Alberta. These Standards establish requirements for delivering culturally safe, equitable, and non-discriminatory physiotherapy services. Prior to the implementation of the new standards, on September 30, 2024, the College published the Indigenous Cultural Safety, Health Equity, and Anti-Discrimination Guide which is intended to support registrant understanding of these important topics.
While two standards have been established, they share many foundational elements which can be grouped into the following categories:
- Reflective practice and ongoing professional development
- Creation of safe health-care experiences and anti-racist practice
- Development of effective therapeutic relationships with clients
- Provision of trauma-informed physiotherapy services
The College acknowledges the need for additional resources to support physiotherapist understanding of and adherence to these Standards of Practice.
Repository of Resources
The following table offers a centralized repository of resources designed to help physiotherapists access relevant guidance, educational materials, and supports for meeting the Indigenous Cultural Safety & Humility, and Health Equity & Anti-Discrimination Standards of Practice.
These resources represent options for further professional development. None are mandatory. It is up to the individual physiotherapist to identify their learning needs and the resources they need to access in order to fulfill the requirements of the standards.
This repository is a work in progress. Our objective is to add further resources as they are identified.
- Nixon. The coin model of privilege and critical allyship. BMC Public Health 2019. (University, Research Article)
- Countering Stereotypes of Indigenous Peoples - Foundations of Stereotypes (UofA Faculty of Native Studies, Online Course)
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action (Government, Report)
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)Executive Summary (Government, Report)
- Reclaiming Power and Place Calls for Justice (Government, Report)
- Executive summary – Reclaiming Power and Place (Government, Report)
- McLane, et. al. First nations status and emergency department triage scores in Alberta. CMAJ. 2022 (University, Research Article)
- McLane et. al. Leaving emergency departments without completing treatment among First Nations and non-First Nations patients in Alberta. CMAJ. 2024 (University, Research Article)
- Aldred et. al. ‘We’re racially profiled as drunk Indians’ – Experiences of Indigenous rural British Columbians accessing health care. Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine. 2025 (University, Other Document)
Treaty Info (Government, Other Document):
Legislation (Government, Other Document):
Indigenous Canada (UofA MOOC) – Module 11 (University, Course)
- Blackfoot Protocol Document (University of Lethbridge, Other Document)
- University of Alberta. Elder Protocol and Guidelines. 2012 (pg. 1-15) (University, Other Document)
- AHS Trauma Informed Care eLearning Modules (Alberta Health Services, Course)
- Dr Gabor Mate: The 7 Impacts of Trauma (YouTube)
- Bessel van der Kolk: The Body Keeps the Score (Book)
- Bessel van der Kolk: How the body keeps the score on trauma (Video)
- Bessel van der Kolk: Healing Trauma and How the Body Keeps the Score, How To Academy (YouTube Playlist)
- Indigenous Canada (UofA MOOC) – Module 9 (University, Course)