Massage Therapy in Ontario is regulated under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA). This legislation requires the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO) to act exclusively in the public interest and to administer its powers in a way that protects patients and ensures safe, competent care.
Recent actions by the CMTO raise important concerns about compliance with the RHPA, adherence to their own governance rules, and the effective use of mandatory registration fees that all RMTs must pay. These concerns directly affect the public interest, patient safety, and the integrity of Ontario’s regulatory system.
1. Departure from Required Governance Processes
The CMTO’s own Governance Handbook (Section 4.19) mandates a 3-year strategic planning cycle, including clear requirements for:
- Council oversight
- stakeholder engagement
- environmental scanning
- regular public reporting
- renewal every three years
However, the CMTO has issued a public Request for Proposals to develop a five-year strategic plan (2025–2030). A regulator cannot simply change its accountability cycle without:
- transparent Council approval
- notification to registrants
- clear public justification
- formal revision of governing documents
When a regulator bypasses its own rules, it weakens oversight, reduces transparency, and undermines the integrity of the RHPA framework.
2. Concerns About Resource Allocation and Public-Interest Mandate
The CMTO is simultaneously advancing:
- a full organizational rebrand
- a potential name change
- expanded communications spending
- long-term planning outside the Handbook framework
The RHPA requires that all activities of a health regulatory college must serve the public interest, not internal branding or image-management objectives.
The CMTO’s Governance Handbook cautions:
“If time is spent on non-regulatory issues, then College resources will not be available for matters within its mandate and the College may be seen as improperly exercising its statutory powers.”
Patients and RMTs have the right to know:
- why rebranding is being prioritized over regulatory improvements
- how mandatory fees are being used
- whether the Ministry of Health was notified of these deviations
3. Practitioner Safety and Sexual Misconduct Risks
Massage Therapists — 89% women, many working alone — face uniquely high rates of workplace sexual misconduct. Unlike other health sectors, Massage Therapy has:
- no sector-specific workplace safety manual
- no Ministry of Labour “Green Book”
- no standardized safety framework for high-risk clinical environments
The RHPA requires regulators to ensure safe, ethical conditions for care, but RMTs continue to face:
- unsafe encounters
- threats
- lack of structural protection
- inconsistent pathways for reporting
A regulatory system cannot fully protect patients if it does not also protect the practitioners providing the care.
4. Why This Matters to the Public
A regulatory college’s purpose is to:
- protect patients
- ensure safe, competent practice
- uphold the public’s trust
- maintain transparent, accountable governance
When a regulator diverts resources to branding, extends governance cycles without explanation, or fails to address known safety risks, public protection is weakened.
The public interest requires:
- predictable accountability
- honest adherence to legislation
- transparent use of compulsory fees
- a regulatory system focused on safety, not image
Our Request
We ask the Ministry of Health to:
- review whether the CMTO is acting within its statutory mandate
- confirm whether governance deviations were properly approved
- assess whether current priorities align with public protection
- ensure that practitioner safety — including sexual misconduct prevention — is meaningfully addressed
- establish sector-specific safety frameworks to protect both practitioners and patients
Patients, practitioners, and the public deserve a regulatory system that is consistent, transparent, and strongly aligned with the RHPA’s mandate to protect the public interest above all else.