Massage Therapy Regulation a Reality in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba

Friday, September 29, 2017, 12:40 PM

Massage therapy regulation, or the formation of a Regulatory College of Massage Therapists, has become an important development in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba over the past years.

Purpose of Massage Therapy Regulation

The responsibility of a College of Massage Therapists is to:

regulate the conduct of massage therapists
act in the interest of the public
provide a public record of practitioners who violate the College's Code of Ethics
maintain a public register for all registered massage therapists in the province

What is the NHPC's Role in Regulation of Massage Therapy?

With growing interest in the regulation of massage therapy, the NHPC surveyed its members in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta for their views. The results showed strong support for regulation in each of the provinces.

Given this direction, the NHPC has worked with stakeholders in the three provinces for the past several years.

Massage Therapy Regulation in Alberta

The NHPC has worked collectively with other stakeholders to come to an agreement on transitional entry into the college and standards of competency quickly. This allowed the stakeholder group to submit a unified application to the Government of Alberta.

"When all associations are committed to a common goal, the regulation process will move smoothly," says NHPC, CEO Kelly Sloan. "We are all excited about how far we have come and where the profession of massage therapy is headed in Alberta."

Massage Therapy Regulation in Manitoba

The NHPC and the Massage Therapy Association of Manitoba (MTAM) worked together to answer key questions posed by the government, including grandfathering currently practising practitioners into a College of Massage Therapy. In December 2016, this joint report was submitted to the Government of Manitoba.

Massage Therapy Regulation in Saskatchewan

The question of regulation in the province of Saskatchewan has been under review for many years. From October 2015 to January 2017, the NHPC has been involved in discussions with a stakeholder group of massage-based member associations and massage therapy schools in Saskatchewan.

In January 2017, the stakeholder group submitted edits to draft legislation for the regulation of massage therapy to the Government of Saskatchewan. The application outlined 52 out of 53 areas of agreement.

Each stakeholder then had the opportunity to submit a separate proposal on the issue of transitional entry for currently practising massage therapists.

NHPC's Goals for the Regulation of Massage Therapy

The formation of a College will further the profession of massage therapy.
A fair and equitable solution should be implemented in every province, no matter which association they belong to.

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