Short answer: since 1 April 2026, every physical therapist in British Columbia works under one set of Ethics and Practice Standards from the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC). Its Marketing, Advertising, and Promotion standard reaches well past ads: it names business names, websites, social media, directory listings and testimonials, and it makes the physiotherapist answerable for what a marketing agency writes for them. Below is what that means for each part of a clinic website, with a checklist at the end.
This guide is for clinic owners and physiotherapists in BC. It is general information, not legal advice. Every quote comes from the College's own documents, linked below, so you can read the original wording and ask the College when something is unclear.
What changed in 2024 and 2026
Physical therapy in BC used to have its own college. On 28 June 2024 the College of Physical Therapists of BC joined six other colleges to form the CHCPBC, as the College explains on its physical therapists page. Then, as of 1 April 2026, all nine professions the College regulates moved under the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA).
On the same date the College's Ethics and Practice Standards took effect for every licensee. If your website copy was written against the old physio college's advertising rules, it was written for a document that no longer applies on its own. Most of the ideas carry over, but the wording and scope are new, so it is worth a fresh read.
The standard covers far more than ads
The Marketing, Advertising, and Promotion standard says it applies to "all forms of marketing, advertising, and promotion used by or on behalf of" a licensee. It then lists what that includes: "business names, advertising, public statements, websites, social media, directory listings, the use of testimonials, and any other means of promoting or presenting professional services".
For a clinic, that means the clinic name, the homepage, every service page, the booking platform profile, Google and directory listings, and Instagram captions all sit inside the same rules. The standard also says the licensee "is responsible for the content of all marketing, advertising, and promotion prepared on their behalf by a marketing agency". Handing the website to an agency does not hand over the responsibility.
Claims and results
The first item of the standard asks licensees to "use factual, accurate, and verifiable information, including in relation to claims" and to leave out "false, incomplete, misleading, or deceptive claims". It also asks them to "refrain from creating unreasonable expectations or guarantees about the results of health products or health services".
On a clinic site, the risky lines are usually in hero banners and service pages: "pain-free in 3 visits", "permanent relief", "fix your back for good". A safer line describes what you do and who it helps ("assessment and treatment for lower back pain, sports injuries and post-surgery rehab") rather than promising an outcome. Health information on the site should also be "consistent with current, evidence-informed practice", so a service page for a newer technique should say what it is used for in measured words.
If you sell or use devices such as shockwave or laser units, the standard also points to Health Canada: licensees must "meet the Regulatory Requirements for Advertising issued by Health Canada, as applicable".
Comparisons, tone and fear
The standard rules out "false, misleading, unsubstantiated, or disparaging claims of superiority". "Best physio in Vancouver" or "the only clinic that gets real results" are the kind of lines to remove unless you can prove them, and most clinics cannot.
It also asks that communication, social media included, avoids "sensational, aggressive, or fear-based messaging" and does not "exploit or otherwise seek to take advantage of a lack of public knowledge". Posts like "ignore this knee pain and you will need surgery" fall on the wrong side of that line. Plain explanations of when to book an assessment do not.
Free assessments, discounts and referral rewards
The standard warns against the "advertisement of free health services or other inducements for unnecessary or inappropriate" services, and the Conflict of Interest standard asks licensees to "refuse to accept or offer incentives for referrals for health services or products".
So a "refer a friend, get a free session" banner is a problem. A free 15-minute phone chat to work out whether physio is right for someone is a different thing from a free treatment that leads into a package. If you run any free or discounted offer, state its limits next to it and make sure it never pushes treatment someone does not need. When unsure, ask the College before you publish.
Fees and what patients pay
Three lines in the wider standards touch pricing. Licensees should "charge clear and reasonable fees for services and reports", "clearly disclose fees, billing arrangements, and methods of payment", and make sure "patients are told they have no obligation to purchase recommended products or services".
The standards do not say fees must appear on the website. But a short fees page (initial assessment, follow-up visits, direct billing to extended health plans or ICBC and WorkSafeBC claims if you handle them, cancellation policy) answers the questions patients ask before booking and keeps the clinic close to the disclosure expectation. If you sell braces, orthotics or other products, the "no obligation" line belongs on that page too.
Titles, "Dr" and credentials
The Communications standard asks licensees to "use titles and credentials only as authorized by CHCPBC" and to avoid using "academic titles, degrees, or other credentials in a way that could confuse or mislead". A physiotherapist with a doctorate who uses "doctor" must "clearly indicate" that they are "not a medical practitioner". The College's exclusive title notice says it has not set a list of approved abbreviations yet.
There is one more line that matters for clinics that also offer wellness services: licensees should "refrain from using or advertising their reserved title in relation to the delivery of non-regulated services". If the same page sells physiotherapy and, for example, a general fitness class, make it clear which service a physiotherapist provides as a physiotherapist.
Reviews, testimonials and directory listings
Testimonials are named in the scope of the standard, so any patient quote on your site has to meet the same "accurate, honest" bar as the rest of your copy. The document has no separate testimonial rule and says nothing about before and after images, so the general rules on accuracy, expectations and evidence are what apply.
The more unusual part is about content other people publish. The standard asks licensees to "monitor third-party content that references their health services (e.g., online reviews, directory listings)" and to "promptly contact the individual or organization responsible" when something needs fixing. In practice: check your Google Business Profile, booking platform pages and health directories every few months, and correct wrong services, old titles or outdated claims. Errors in your own material should be fixed quickly too, since the standard asks you to "take prompt action to correct any errors".
A 10-point check for a BC physio clinic website
| Check | Where to look | What good looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Outcome promises | Hero, service pages, ads | No guarantees or "pain-free in X visits" lines |
| Comparisons | Headlines, about page, Google posts | No "best" or "only" claims you cannot prove |
| Evidence | Service and condition pages | Measured wording that matches current practice |
| Devices | Shockwave, laser, product pages | Claims within Health Canada's advertising rules |
| Tone | Blog, Instagram, Reels captions | No fear-based or sensational messaging |
| Free offers | Banners, landing pages, popups | Limits stated; never a lead-in to unneeded care |
| Referral rewards | Promotions, emails | None offered for referrals |
| Fees | Fees page, booking flow | Fees, billing and payment methods easy to find |
| Titles | Team page, bios, Google profile | Titles as authorized; "Dr" only with "not a medical practitioner" |
| Third-party listings | Google, booking sites, directories | Checked and corrected on a schedule |
If you also have clinics in other provinces or countries, the rules change at the border. Our guide to Ontario physio clinic website rules covers the 2025 Ontario standards, the UK physio guide covers ASA and HCPC rules, and the Ahpra guide covers Australia.
A compliant site can still fill the schedule
None of this stops a clinic website from winning bookings. Patients choosing a physio want to see the problems you treat in plain words, who will treat them, what the first visit costs, whether you direct bill, and a booking button that works on a phone. All of that is allowed. Our post on why a physio clinic may not show on Google Maps covers the local search side.
If you would like someone to go through your clinic site page by page, see how we work with clinics on our physio and chiropractic page. Every project is planned and quoted after a short call, based on what your clinic needs. Book a free 15-minute call whenever it suits you.