Your Obligations
To practice Kinesiology in Canada, you should be a member of your Provincial Kinesiology Associations (PKAs) in the province in which you practice, be a member of the Canadian Kinesiology Alliance / Alliance canadienne de Kinésiologie (CKA / ACK) and carry professional liability insurance. To ensure the quality of professional services, the CKA / ACK and PKAs require its members/affiliates to have a university degree and provide proof of continuing education credits, to respect the Kinesiologist code of ethics and in some province, to have successful completed a professional examination (if necessary)
If you are practicing in another province than Ontario, you do not have to register with the College of Kinesiologist in Ontario nor Ontario Kinesiology Association (OKA).
You cannot issue receipt for your clients to get reimbursed by insurance companies unless you are in good standing with your mandatory requirements (membership, insurance). Insurance companies do verify the authenticity of your membership before approving reimbursements.
Mandatory Membership
To become a member of your Provincial Kinesiology Associations (PKAs) in the province in which you practice, and become an affiliated Kinesiologist of the CKA / ACK. Here are two (2) ways for you to join your professional associations
- If you are from British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario or Quebec, join CKA / ACK through your Provincial Kinesiology Association (PKA), members of CKA / ACK directly. In this process, you will automatically become a CKA / ACK Affiliated Kinesiologist with your mandatory purchase of professional insurance and of CKA / ACK Affiliation fees;
- If you are from other jurisdictions you may join the CKA / ACKdirectly by completing the form below and by following instruction for direct online payment
Note: Since 2018, CKA / ACK collects membership fees for the provinces of MB for the MKA, NB for the NBKA NS for the KANS, PEI for the KPEI and NL for the NLKA at the same time as the CKA / ACK Affiliation fees. Membership fees for these provincial associations vary. They are then handed over to the provincial association for their usage. This procedure allows these PKAs to offer you an online service through the CKA / ACK.
Membership Benefits
The Canadian Kinesiology Alliance / Alliance canadienne de Kinesiology (CKA / ACK) actively works to develop and partner with other key stakeholders to provide valuable practice and business resources.
The CKA / ACK works to bring increased recognition and awareness of kinesiology and the sciences of human movement, to advocate on behalf of our partners and stakeholders, and to support common standards and professionalism. Nationally, the CKA / ACK is the strong and united voice of kinesiologists. When joining CKA, kinesiologist benefit from:
- Access to opportunities to networking and social capital;
- Access to promotional event material such as the National KinWeek held annually in November and the National Health and Fitness Day held annually in June;
- Access to preferred rates from partners such as for industry leading professional insurance products (including errors and omissions and commercial general liability), continued education opportunities (online seminars and printed resources) or home and auto insurance.
The CKA / ACK continues to build programs that offer unique discounts and promotions to Members and affiliates. Presently exclusive arrangements provide for savings on the following products and services:
| · Professional insurance
· Term life insurance · Dependent children term life insurance · Accidental death and dismemberment insurance · Critical illness insurance |
· Extended health and dental insurance
· Travel medical insurance · Office overhead insurance · Long-term disability insurance · Pension Plan |
The savings are real, and the list is constantly growing so be sure to visit the Canadian Kinesiology Alliance Website regularly.
Mandatory Insurance
Maintaining professional insurance provides peace-of-mind whether it is for your home, car, or for your professional work. Legal actions often come as a result of someone being harmed, either through bodily injury or damage to their property. Allegations may be frivolous; however you are still required to respond with a defence. Lawsuits often name anyone involved and/or connected to a particular situation regardless of how miniscule that involvement may be. Consider that the average hourly rate for a lawyer in Canada in 2013 was $362. Good advice for mounting a defence can be expensive, professional insurance coverage such as the products offered by the Canadian Kinesiology Alliance / Alliance canadienne de Kinésiologie (CKA / ACK) can help a great deal. The CKA / ACK highly recommends that professional insurance is kept up-to-date regardless of practice area. Its recommends to maintain an Errors and Omissions liability coverage.
The insurance may be held through the CKA National Insurance Program from PROLINK or your employer.
The CKA / ACK has development with its partner PROLINK Insurance a customised Professional Liability Coverage tailored to the wide scope of practice of Kinesiology. Here is a list of differences between Professional Insurance coverage offered on the market that confirms that PROLINK’s Program is not expensive yet more suited for Kinesologists. For 2020, the National Insurance Program through PROLINK is offered at significant low rates due to reaching over 4000 members in this program. For example, Professional Liability begins at 49$/yr.
Read more:
WHY & HOW ARE KINS INSURED PROFESSIONALLY?
See for yourself:
PROLINK Insurance Videos
Professional Liability
Commercial General Liability
Cyber Security
Continuing Education
Kinesiologists in Canada participate in the Continuing Education Standards Program (CESP) to ensure that they are maintaining currency in their professional practice. (Do not confuse abbreviations CESP vs CSEP). Kinesiologist must commit to keeping up-to-date knowledge and practice methods on a regular period. It is important; particularly as knowledge, experience and educational requirements within the profession are inevitably rising and our profession is expected to remain current.
The CESP operates on a three year basis. At the end of each three year period, Affiliated Kinesiologist are required to submit a listing, along with supporting documentation, of all accumulated continuing education credits. 60 points over a period of three years are required to keep your membership in good standing, ie 20 credits per year of which 70% must be in the scope of kinesiology and 30% in general activities.
If you are a member of the FKQ, the BCAK, the OKA or the AKA, your progression in continuing education must be reported directly to them and according to their method. Contact your Provincial Kinesiology Association.
If you are a member of the MKA, NBKA, NLKA or you are from Nova Scotia, P.E.I. or others, you may complete your continuing education progression online on your affiliation profile.
Here is a list of activities honored for credits in the CESP.
Code of Ethics
The Canadian Kinesiology Alliance / Allian canadienne de Kinésiologie (CKA / ACK) accepts responsibility for delineating the ethical behavior expected of Kinesiologists and has developed and approved this Code of Ethics as a guide for Kinesiologists.
As you complete your application form to become a member/affiliated kinesiologist, you must read and accept to abide to the Code of Ethics.
The Code is an ethical document. Its sources are the traditional codes of ethics as well as developments in human rights. Legislation and court decisions may also influence ethics, and therefore, Kinesiologists should be aware of the legal and regulatory requirements in their practice. However, the Code may set out different standards of behavior than does the law.
The Code has been prepared by Kinesiologists for Kinesiologists. It is based on the fundamental principles of kinesiology, especially compassion, beneficence, non-malfeasance, and respect for persons. It interprets these principles with respect to the responsibilities of Kinesiologists to individual clients, their family, colleagues, other healthcare professionals, and society.
The Code is not, and cannot be, exhaustive. Its statements are general in nature, to be interpreted and applied in particular situations.
Kinesiologists may experience conflict between different ethical principles, between ethical and legal or regulatory requirements, or between their own ethical convictions and demands of clients, proxy decision makers, other health professionals, employers or other involved parties. Training, consultations with colleagues, ethicists, or others who have expertise are recommended.
All Affiliated Kinesiologist of the CKA/ACK, as a condition of obtaining and maintaining their Affiliation, shall abide by this Code of Ethics in all of their professional activities. The Code of Ethics is comprised of:
- Definition of terms: affiliated kinesiologist , kinesiology services , conflict of interest .
- Duties and responsibilities towards the client and public:
- Duties and responsibilities towards the profession:
