May 30, 2025
Dear Minister Marjorie Michel,
On behalf of the Canadian Chiropractic Association (CCA) and the more than 9,000 Doctors of Chiropractic across Canada, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your recent appointment as Minister of Health.
As the national voice for chiropractors, the CCA supports efforts across the country to promote prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions and to improve access to care for Canadians. More than 11 million Canadians suffer from MSK conditions every year, and that number is expected to rise to 15 million over the next decade. MSK conditions such as arthritis, back pain, headaches, and diseases of the muscle, joints and nervous system are having a devastating impact on Canadians’ health, quality of life, workforce participation and the economy. According to Health Canada, the total direct (healthcare) and indirect (lost production) cost of chronic pain in 2019 was $38.2 – $40.3 billion. Over the next decade the total cost is expected to increase by 36.2 per cent and reach $55 billion.
As you know, Canada is facing a health human resource (HHR) crisis. This has placed a demand on Canada’s healthcare resources, exacerbating the long-standing epidemic of MSK pain and disease in Canada. As a result of increased acute and chronic pain, there has been a worsening of Canada’s opioid overdose crisis with many communities reporting record numbers of opioid-related deaths.
Each year, an estimated 4.7 million Canadians rely on chiropractors to help them manage the serious burden of MSK pain and disease, and 48% of the population will visit a chiropractor at some point in their lives. As one of Canada’s largest primary contact healthcare professions, chiropractors are experts in conservative, non-invasive and non-pharmacological pain management, and are well-positioned to support efforts aimed at avoiding opioid prescriptions as a first line of treatment, as well as ease the burden in emergency rooms by being a part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team. The CCA is dedicated to working with all parliamentarians to address the epidemic of MSK pain and disease through improved access to care.
Canadians suffering from MSK conditions, such as low back pain, are often prescribed opioids as the first line of treatment and this is one of the primary causes for over-use of prescribed opioids. The Canadian Pain Task Force’s (CPTF) final report, An Action Plan for Pain in Canada, found that the lack of access to non-opioid options to treat pain is one of the factors contributing to the opioid crisis. Without action, especially on supporting individuals in addressing chronic pain without opioids, this crisis will continue to grow across the country.
In addition to the increase in chronic pain, there is a shortage of healthcare professionals in rural and remote communities. 20% of Canadians live in rural communities but are served by only 8% of the physicians, and this bottleneck can’t be solved by one profession alone. By expanding the Canada Student Loan Forgiveness Program to include allied health professionals, we can address the limited resources available to where they are needed most, and provide Canadians with early access to care.
Each year, an estimated 4.7 million Canadians rely on chiropractors to help them manage the serious burden of MSK pain and disease, and 48% of the population will visit a chiropractor at some point in their lives. As one of Canada’s largest primary contact healthcare professions, chiropractors are experts in conservative, non-invasive and non-pharmacological pain management, and are well-positioned to support efforts aimed at avoiding opioid prescriptions as a first line of treatment, as well as ease the burden in emergency rooms in rural areas by being a part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team. The CCA is dedicated to working with all parliamentarians to address the epidemic of MSK pain and disease through improved access to care.
The CCA looks forward to being part of the conversation to bring forward ideas and solutions to the current healthcare challenges facing our nation. We would welcome the opportunity to meet and discuss how we might support your work in creating a healthy and active Canada. We wish you every success in your parliamentary work and look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Dr. Ayla Azad, DC
Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Chiropractic Association
aazad@chiropractic.ca