From the Desk of the CEO

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RMTAO

Advocacy

From the Desk of the CEO

Our Executive Director and CEO provides advocacy updates in our newsletter The Friday File to keep our members up to date with the latest advocacy updates that impact the profession. This includes updates on meetings of interprofessional advocacy groups that work together to fight for issues of mutual concerns, an overview of how recent government decisions will affect RMTs, and updates on meetings, letters or other direct advocacy efforts undertaken by the RMTAO. In this section you will be able to review Michael’s advocacy updates, refer to past updates and better see the progress between updates over time.

Advocacy is a marathon rather than a sprint, and we are pleased to share a meaningful step forward in our long-standing campaign to remove GST/HST from massage therapy services.

Following our letter-writing and advocacy campaign last year, Member of Parliament Fred Davies brought our case directly to the Minister of Finance and National Revenue. We have now received formal confirmation that the Department of Finance is officially reviewing our request for an exemption.

While federal bureaucratic processes take time, this response is a direct result of the collective pressure we built together last year. Crucially, the federal government formally acknowledged that massage therapy has met a legislative benchmark by being regulated in five provinces, which is a core requirement for a tax exemption.

Looking ahead, we are continuing to collaborate closely with the Canadian Massage Therapist Association (CMTA) on this joint national effort. Our members can expect more coordinated advocacy initiatives in the coming months as we keep the pressure on.

Thank you to everyone who lent their voice to last year’s campaign. Your efforts got us to the table, and we will keep you informed as this work progresses.

Kat Orr, Acting Executive Director and CEO of the RMTAO

On June 9, I will join RMTAO Board Chair Alex Kidd and Vice-Chair Susan Shipton in presenting to the CMTO Board of Directors on the RMTAO’s proposal for a Provincial RMT Integration Demonstration Project.

This proposal represents an important opportunity to advance the integration of RMTs into Ontario’s primary care system. We are seeking CMTO funding of $1.22 million for a demonstration project placing RMTs at eight primary care sites across Ontario, while generating evidence on patient outcomes, access to care, and system efficiency.

The proposal builds on the RMTAO’s 2023 pilot project at the West Toronto Community Health Centre, which showed improved patient outcomes and increased access to massage therapy through a publicly funded care model.

As an evidence-generating initiative, the Demonstration Project would help determine whether broader integration of RMTs into primary care teams can improve patient care and support a more effective, sustainable healthcare system in Ontario.

This presentation is a discussion item only; no decisions will be made. The CMTO Board meeting will be livestreamed, and I encourage members to watch. Click here to watch the livestream.

I look forward to continuing this important conversation about how RMT integration can support better patient care and strengthen Ontario’s primary care system.

– Kat Orr, Acting Executive Director and CEO of the RMTAO

To our valued members,

As we begin this next chapter at the RMTAO, I am honored to step into the role of Acting Executive Director and CEO.

I want to start by acknowledging the leadership of Michael Feraday and the solid foundation he helped build. Our recent 2026 Membership Survey revealed a 97% satisfaction rate, an incredible benchmark that confirms the RMTAO is standing on firm ground. While leadership changes can feel like a big shift, I want to reassure you that our core purpose remains exactly the same: we are here to advocate for the Massage Therapy profession and provide the practical tools you need to succeed every day.

In the coming months, we will use your feedback as a roadmap to refine our work. We are committed to communicating openly about our advocacy, finding efficiencies that free up our staff for high-impact support, and scaling our services in creative, fiscally responsible ways.

While I’m disappointed that I won’t be able to make it to the Toronto Town Hall on May 21st, I’m truly looking forward to connecting with our members elsewhere. I hope to see many of you in person at our upcoming stops in Guelph on May 6th and Ottawa on May 27th to discuss how we can move this profession forward together.

Best,

Kat Orr

Acting Executive Director and CEO

Registered Massage Therapists’ Association of Ontario

I recently participated in two well-attended Town Halls, one in St. Catharines on April 16 and another in Kingston on April 22. These joint Town Halls are held in partnership with the CMTO. This collaborative approach has proven effective, as it allows RMTs to better understand the perspectives of both organizations while receiving updates and sharing feedback.

This year, we introduced a structured discussion break, giving RMTs an opportunity to provide direct input to both organizations. Attendees were asked to share their perspectives on patient abuse toward RMTs, including what skills they wish they had been taught in school to better recognize issues and set appropriate boundaries. We also invited feedback on workplace supports, policies, and guidance that would help RMTs feel safer and more confident in challenging situations. In addition, participants were asked to identify the three to four most important changes they would like to see in the profession.

The level of engagement and the quality of feedback were extremely encouraging. Historically, the RMTAO has used Town Hall input to inform its operating plans and shape new programs and initiatives. One positive example is the development of a program to support RMTs in addressing harassment, which emerged from member feedback.

During the Town Halls, I also provided updates on the Association’s advocacy work and future priorities. These included efforts to secure the removal of HST, strategies for engaging with insurance companies, plans to integrate massage therapy into primary care teams, ongoing challenges with auto insurance, and the potential value of a degree program in Massage Therapy.

I encourage as many members as possible to attend the remaining Town Halls in Toronto, Guelph, and Ottawa. These sessions are a valuable opportunity to hear from both the CMTO and RMTAO, ask questions, share feedback, and connect with peers in your community.

  • Register online to attend one of the remaining Town Hall sessions:
  • Guelph: May 6(RSVP by April 29)
  • Toronto: May 21 (RSVP by May 14)
  • Ottawa: May 27 (RSVP by May 20)

As part of ongoing advocacy work to explore the possibility of a massage therapy degree program, I recently met with Kristin Lingard, Senior Dean, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at Humber College, and Lauren Riley, Associate Dean at Humber College. The goal of this discussion was to better understand what would be required to develop a degree program for massage therapy and to gather their perspectives on its potential value.

  • They highlighted several important considerations when introducing a higher level of educational qualification within a profession:
  • Diploma and advanced diploma programs in Ontario are constrained by the Ontario Qualifications Framework, which limits the level of theory, practice, and number of hours they can include.
  • A degree program would allow for a higher level of theoretical learning, including research literacy, statistics, and thematic analysis.
  • Interprofessional collaboration is often grounded in shared theoretical frameworks, which may not always be consistently emphasized in current massage therapy education.
  • Current curriculum constraints lead to inconsistent student exposure to research methodology, statistical literacy, and the broader Canadian healthcare landscape.
  • As a result, some practitioners may rely more heavily on personal experience when interpreting patient journeys, rather than drawing on broader system-level knowledge.

Overall, a degree option was discussed as one way to further strengthen the profession by supporting deeper theoretical knowledge, research capacity, and integration within the broader healthcare system.

Over the past year, I have been gathering feedback and meeting with stakeholders to better understand interest in a degree program for massage therapists. While there has been significant interest in the concept, there is not yet a clear consensus on the best path forward.

This work would be a longer-term process requiring involvement from the Ministry of Education. The RMTAO remains interested in continuing to explore this opportunity and engaging with key partners. As a next step, I will be following up with additional organizations and continuing these discussions.

This work is intended to support the long-term growth of the profession and strengthen how RMTs are integrated within the broader healthcare system.

On Thursday March 19, I was in Sault Ste. Marie, participating in the first of a series of Town Halls we are conducting across Ontario this spring.

This was our first time in the Sault in many years, so it was great to see so many RMTs in attendance on what was a very snowy week.

This was a joint Town Hall with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO). Maureen Boon and two of her colleagues were in attendance, making a presentation on the CMTO’s Strategic Plan, changes in Standards and the CMTO’s priorities over the coming year.

  • My presentation and the discussions focused on our primary advocacy initiatives, including:
  • Our progress towards HST exemption
  • Our efforts to integrate massage therapy into primary care
  • Advocacy to remove the third-party signature requirement for the OCF-18 form when treating patients injured in automobile accidents
  • Our approach towards developing a massage therapy degree program
  • Our recent sexual harassment and assault survey

There was a lot of great discussion. Many members were able to bring forward their questions about the role of the RMTAO and share their vision for the future of the massage therapy profession.

I was pleased that so many members took advantage of the great opportunity to network and exchange ideas with each other and provide feedback to both the CMTO and the RMTAO.

Special thanks to Catherine Courtney, our CBN Coordinator in Sault Ste. Marie, who has been working hard to build the RMT community in the region.

I will continue my journey to communities across Ontario in the next few weeks, and I encourage you to sign up for a Town Hall event near you to join the discussion.

  • All the best,
  • Michael Feraday
  • Executive Director and CEO
  • RMTAO
  • From left - Sam Harris, Interim Director, Policy and Communications at the CMTO, Michael Feraday, Executive Director and CEO at the RMTAO, and Maureen Boon, Registrar and CEO of the CMTO, in Sault Ste Marie.

On Monday, March 9, I visited Fleming College in Peterborough to meet with students in the Massage Therapy program, which currently has more than 40 students preparing to enter the profession and help meet the region’s growing demand for Registered Massage Therapists. I was pleased to be hosted by educator Jennifer Borland-Rosin and to have the opportunity to connect directly with many of the students.

During the visit, I provided updates on recent RMTAO advocacy efforts, as well as information about RMTAO programs, services, and resources. I focused on the information that is most relevant to students and new graduates as they begin their careers.

School visits are typically conducted by volunteer School Ambassadors who present to students at Massage Therapy programs across the province. Using a presentation developed by Angela Paton, Member Services Manager, School Ambassadors provide an overview of the RMTAO, the benefits of student membership, and the Association’s advocacy work on behalf of the profession. These presentations play an important role in helping students understand how the RMTAO supports them as they prepare for the transition from student to health professional.

I also occasionally attend school visits personally to connect directly with students, hear their perspectives on the profession, and share updates on the Association’s current priorities and initiatives.

Members who are interested in serving as a School Ambassador are encouraged to contact Angela Paton. School Ambassadors receive honoraria for participating in school visits. Schools that would like to arrange a visit with me specifically can also contact Angela at angela@rmtao.com.

On Sunday, Feb 22, I attended a CBN meeting in Windsor at the invitation of their CBN Coordinator, Brittany Wistuba. The meeting was well attended by Windsor RMTs, who were eager to learn more about the activities of the RMTAO. This turned into a mini Town Hall where I was able to connect directly with local RMTs and answer questions from attendees. It is important for me to connect with as many RMTs as possible, especially in areas without an official Town Hall this year.


I was able to provide updates on our advocacy initiatives regarding a variety of issues that are important to RMTs. This included updates on HST exemption, the OCF-18 signature requirement, the Demonstration Project, our effort to remove doctor’s note requirements from extended health benefits and more.


We also discussed plans to launch new supports as a follow-up to our sexual harassment and assault survey and our Annual General Meeting, including our guest speaker, Farrah Khan, who addressed the issue of sexual harassment and assault of RMTs by their patients.


I was able to provide the latest updates on the Canadian Massage Therapist Association (CMTA) and we also discussed local issues surrounding fees, attracting talent and business, and the local community in general. It was also a great chance to get to know everyone over coffee in a relaxed environment.


If there are other CBN groups that would like me to join them for a meeting, I am happy to attend, especially in those communities where there will not be a Town Hall this year.

On February 20, I met virtually with MPP Catherine Fife, who represents Waterloo. The meeting was arranged by RMTAO member Julie Pallot, RMT, who also attended. MPP Fife’s Constituency Assistant, John Nuttall, was also present.

 

The purpose of the meeting was to seek MPP Fife’s support in urging the Minister of Finance, Peter Bethlenfalvy, to amend the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS) to include Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) within the definition of “health practitioner” under subsection 3(1). This amendment would authorize RMTs to independently sign OCF-18 Treatment and Assessment Plan forms.

 

The OCF-18 form is used to request insurer approval for medical and rehabilitation benefits for individuals injured in motor vehicle accidents. Currently, subsection 3(1) of the SABS authorizes only those professionals specifically listed within the definition of “health practitioner” to sign the OCF-18. Expanding this definition to include RMTs would streamline the treatment process, reduce administrative burden, and enhance patient care.

 

Excluding RMTs from signing the OCF-18 fails to recognize that RMTs are regulated health professionals with training and expertise in the assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal pain and injury.

 

 

The meeting had a very positive outcome. MPP Fife expressed strong support for our position and confirmed that she will write to the Minister of Finance to urge him to amend the SABS to permit RMTs to independently sign the OCF-18 form.

Below is a screenshot from our successful meeting.

In late 2025, we reached out to the RMTAO community to sign a petition initiated by an RMT in British Columbia and sponsored by Brad Vis, Member of Parliament for Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford.

 

The response was incredible. On January 27, 2026, MP Brad Vis officially presented the petition to the House of Commons, calling on the Minister of Finance to exempt Massage Therapy services from HST/GST under the Excise Tax Act.

 

You can watch the presentation here

 

We want to extend a sincere thank you to every member who took the time to sign and share this petition. This progress is a direct result of our community’s willingness to speak up, over 7,000 voices create a momentum that is much harder to overlook than each of us working in isolation. Of the 7,175 total signatures, 2,758 came from right here in Ontario—a testament to your dedication to this cause.

 

During the presentation, MP Vis highlighted arguments that are central to our advocacy:

  • Professional parity: RMTs are regulated health professionals, yet they are still not exempt from GST/HST under the Excise Tax Act, and they face a tax double standard compared to other provincially regulated health professionals.
  • Removing barriers: Tax exemption supports patient access by reducing financial barriers for those who rely on our care.

This petition is a major milestone, but our work continues. Building on the momentum from late 2025, the RMTAO is deepening its collaboration with the Canadian Massage Therapy Association (CMTA) to keep this issue a federal priority.

Our strategy for the coming year focuses on a unified national front:

  • National task force: We are active members of a specialized CMTA working group alongside representatives from across Canada. This ensures we approach the federal government with one powerful, cohesive voice.
  • Pooled resources: By collaborating nationwide, we are building a more robust economic case for tax equity to present to the Department of Finance.
  • Sustained advocacy: This partnership ensures that HST/GST exemption remains a standing priority. We are committed to keeping this issue in front of federal decision-makers and will keep the membership informed as the file progresses.

The RMTAO recently sent a pre-Budget submission to the provincial Minister of Finance Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy.

 

This was our opportunity to inform the government’s fiscal planning for the year ahead and to outline strategic recommendations that will strengthen Ontario’s health system, enhance access to massage therapy services, and support the sustainability of the profession.

 

We recommended the following actions that would improve access to massage therapy care and improve overall healthcare system efficiency:

  • Amend the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS) under the Insurance Act, O. Reg. 34/10, to include Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) under the definition of “health practitioner” in Subsection 3(1). This would allow RMTs to independently sign the OCF-18 Treatment and Assessment form, increasing access to massage therapy for those injured in motor vehicle accidents.
  • Provide funding to support a demonstration project integrating massage therapy into primary care teams in eight locations across Ontario.

We emphasized that these recommendations would help increase timely access to rehabilitation services, reduce overall system costs, and improve patient recovery and satisfaction.

The RMTAO is requesting future meetings with the Minister of Finance, as well as with various MPPs, to help advance these evidence-based, practical solutions.

Review the pre-Budget Submission

A government response was recently received to the petition presented to parliament in November 2025 that requested HST/GST exemption for massage therapy in Canada. HST/GST exemption is an important issue that is spearheaded by the Canadian Massage Therapist Association (CMTA). We work closely with our national partners in the CMTA to continue to move this issue forward.


The federal Minister of Finance, François-Philippe Champagne, indicated that the government understands that massage therapy is regulated in five provinces, and reiterated that HST/GST exemption is not automatic, and requires a formal application to the Minister of Finance.


Champagne confirmed that a formal request for exemption has been received and is currently being reviewed by the Ministry of Finance.


Review Minister Champagne’s Response

 

The RMTAO will be using this encouraging response to support our request for a follow-up meeting with Remi Gagnon, Policy Advisor for the Ministry of Finance. We met with him this summer and spoke about how HST exemption would improve healthcare access and ensure that massage therapy is aligned with other regulated health professions in five provinces.


We look forward to providing further updates as this issue progresses.

As you may know, the RMTAO has been closely monitoring the CMTO’s current financial surplus. Our goal is to ensure these resources are utilized in ways that directly support the profession and its role in Ontario’s healthcare system.


The RMTAO recently wrote a letter to the CMTO Registrar to propose a meaningful reinvestment of this surplus. We advocated for funding to support further research, while also expressing our support for a reduction in registrant fees.


To ensure the College understands the value of these initiatives to the profession, and to reinforce the concerns of the membership, we are inviting members to participate in a letter writing campaign. Your voice is essential in demonstrating that these priorities are shared by RMTs across the province.


Instructions to RMTAO members:

 

  1. Personalize your letter: Use the document linked below for your letter. The [Bracketed Sections] are where you should add your own voice to ensure the CMTO sees that these are individual concerns, not just a form letter.
  2. Submit your letter: You may email or mail your final version to the CMTO Registrar using the contact information provided in the document.
  3. Keep us informed: Forward a copy of your letter to info@rmtao.com so we can track the collective impact of this campaign.

Subject line options: If emailing, please choose one of the following to ensure the Registrar’s office sees a variety of headers.


  1. Support for RMTAO Demonstration Project & Surplus Allocation
  2. Reinvesting the CMTO Surplus
  3. Improving Public Access to Care via CMTO Surplus
  4. Proposal for Evidence-Based Care Integration

Thank you for supporting our campaign!


Download the Letter to Send to the CMTO Regarding their Surplus

The Association is deeply concerned by the size of the CMTO’s current surplus and the fact that it has not resulted in any reduction in registrant fees. I would like to acknowledge the RMTAO Board for bringing this to my attention at the last Board meeting in September.


We have been working behind the scenes to develop an outcome that benefits the membership for some time. We have raised these concerns directly with CMTO leadership and are actively engaged in discussions about how a significant portion of the surplus could be redirected toward options like research or a fee reduction. These conversations are ongoing.


The RMTAO believes that funds of this significance should be directly benefiting the profession, whether through fee relief, meaningful research investment in projects like the demonstration project, or other initiatives that support registrants and the public.


At the same time, the Association believes greater transparency and accountability are required when a regulator accumulates a surplus of this size. We will continue to press for answers and outcomes that serve the interests of RMTs.


To reinforce the concerns of the membership, the RMTAO will organize a letter writing campaign to the CMTO, in January 2026, to urge the CMTO to ensure the excess surplus is used in a way that benefits the profession directly. Members can expect further updates as this matter progresses.

This week, a Private Member’s Bill supporting HST exemption for Ontario RMTs was introduced, a direct result of RMTAO advocacy and member efforts this past year, notably at our October 2025 Queen’s Park Day.


MPP France Gélinas, the NDP Health Critic, introduced the Massage Therapy Tax Act, 2025. Under this Act, the Minister of Health is mandated to take every necessary measure, including introducing legislation, to bring the tax treatment of massage therapy services provided by Ontario RMTs into alignment with the tax treatment of services provided by other practitioners.


The Bill has already passed its first reading, marking an exciting first step. While additional readings are required for it to proceed, this early success is an important step forward, thanks to our advocacy efforts.


To increase support for the Bill as it goes through the legislative process, MPP Gélinas has created a petition to support the removal of HST from massage therapy services. We encourage you to sign this petition and share it widely with your networks to support the Bill’s success.


Sign the petition now


MPP Gélinas also shared a press release today to increase awareness of and support for this issue. This would be a great resource to share to help spread the word.


Access the press release


This is an important and encouraging step in our efforts towards HST exemption. This was made possible due to the support of members who have continued to bring this issue forward, as well as the culmination of continuous advocacy efforts by the RMTAO.


We will provide you with updates as soon as they become available.

The CMTO recently shared that they will be investigating the feasibility of changing their operating name, as well as rebranding the CMTO’s public facing identity.

 

This review focuses on the operating name and public identity only; the legal name will remain unchanged. Furthermore, a final decision on the rebrand has yet to be made.

 

This is just a first step which will include conducting focus groups, surveys and stakeholder consultations as well as gathering information about current attitudes and perceptions. The RMTAO intends to participate in this process, ensuring members’ concerns are heard and the matter is thoroughly investigated.

 

The CMTO raised concerns that the term “College” frequently confuses the public. This problem extends beyond massage therapy since all regulatory bodies use the term College, and this confusion likely extends across all regulated health professions. Part of the investigation also suggests the option of changing the visual identity of the CMTO without changing the operating name.

 

The CMTO mentioned that the College of Medical Radiation and Imaging Technologists of Ontario (CMRITO) has made the change to using a descriptive subtitle to be clearer about what they do. It now operates as “CMRITO, the Regulator of Medical Radiation and Imaging Technologists in Ontario”. Similarly to this, the CMTO is not exploring the possibility of formally changing its name, as that would require Ministry approval, but are considering a broader rebrand, which will start with a lengthy consultation process, ensuring RMTs have the ability to participate.

 

CMTO Board meetings are livestreamed and you are welcome to watch the proceedings.

 

I have regular meetings with the CMTO Registrar, Maureen Boon and we maintain a very positive relationship. I have raised this with her, and we will continue to discuss this issue and provide our input as they investigate this potential change. If you had any particular concerns you would like me to bring forward, I encourage you to contact me at michael@rmtao.com.

Jonathan Rowe, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Terra Nova—The Peninsulas recently presented a petition to the House of Commons, requesting that the Minister of Finance exempt massage therapy services in Canada from HST/GST under the Excise Tax Act. He pointed out that massage therapy plays a vital role in promoting physical health, mental well-being, and injury recovery for Canadians. He also emphasizes that the removal of HST/GST on massage therapy services would improve the accessibility and affordability of massage therapy services for Canadians.


You can watch his presentation here.


The government is required to respond to this petition within 45 days, and we will share this response as soon as it is received. This follows a similar petition that was presented in the House of Commons in April 2024 by MP Brad Vis. This petition received over 18,000 signatures from RMTs and patients across Canada. The former Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland, responded to this petition acknowledging that massage therapy meets the criteria for HST/GST exemption, and that the government at the time was considering the request.


You can still read her response here.


The RMTAO is continuing to work with the CMTA to promote HST/GST exemption with the Federal Government. The RMTAO is part of a newly established CMTA working group to take a collective approach to GST/HST exemption that is chaired by a representative from Newfoundland and Labrador and also includes members from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.


This is just one of the ways we will be ramping up our efforts to exempt GST in the next year by working collaboratively with the CMTA and our colleagues across Canada. We will be sharing some other initiatives undertaken nationally in the coming months.

RMTs can’t sign the OCF-18 Treatment and Assessment Plan forms for individuals who have been in a motor vehicle accident, as they are not explicitly listed in the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule.

 

Building on our past advocacy efforts to address this issue, which include meetings with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Red-Tape Reduction and other MPPs, you can help by sending a letter to your MPP requesting that they contact the Minister of Finance, asking for his support in changing this legislation so that RMTs are able to independently sign the OCF-18 form.

 

The time to act is now! The government is currently determining their budget for the next fiscal year, and we can bring about this change by getting it included in the next budget.

 

Use our quick and easy template to send a letter to your MPP to put the pressure on. If you’re unsure of who your MPP is, you can find their contact info here.

 

If you contact your MPP, we encourage you to let us know that you have done so as well as whether there has been any response by emailing info@rmtao.com so we can help support future advocacy efforts with your MPP.

 

By sending a letter to your MPP, you are helping this change to the OCF-18 form become a reality.

 

Download our template letter to send to your MPP now

As you may know, GST/HST exemption was not in this Tuesday’s Federal Budget. Let me reassure members that the RMTAO is more determined than ever to see this issue through to ensure that RMTs eventually receive GST/HST exemption.

 

The federal government has previously confirmed that we qualify for GST/HST exemption. They will just need to include this change in a federal budget or other new legislation. We have made a business case to the Federal Government to support why the decision to exempt GST/HST does not have a significant financial impact on the Federal budget. Only a few months ago, we met with policy advisors in the Ministry of Finance, which was important as it shows the maintenance of a strong relationship with the new government elected in 2025, as well as shows interest from the new Minister of Finance.

 

We have already conducted surveys and a petition to demonstrate that the majority of RMTs would be supportive of this change, which is essential to gain full support of the government. We have also met with MPs from various parties, in part thanks to letters from our members, to expand the support for GST/HST exemption among elected officials.

 

Early last month, I had the opportunity to attend the annual Canadian Massage Therapist Association (CMTA) in-person meeting in Charlottetown, PEI, alongside Board Chair Alex Kidd. One of the predominant topics of discussion was GST/HST, which continues to be a key concern for our profession. This meeting reaffirmed our shared commitment with provincial partners to advance a strong national effort toward achieving GST/HST exemption. In support of this initiative, I’ve volunteered my time and expertise to the newly formed Advocacy and Public Relations Committee, where GST/HST exemption will be our top priority in 2026.

 

By working collaboratively with our partner associations within CMTA, we aim to bring greater visibility to this national issue and drive meaningful progress. Alex Kidd, who also serves as President of the CMTA, will hopefully be able to provide further details about our upcoming plans at our AGM on February 1, 2026.

Earlier this week, on Monday, October 20, I met with key decision makers at GreenShield Insurance.

 

This included J.P. Girard, Executive Vice President and Head of Health Insurance, Melanie Kittridge, Director of Claims Services, and Holly Vincent, Manager of Consumer & Commercial Optimization.

 

The purpose of this meeting was to make the case for increasing the funding caps for massage therapy with GreenShield.

 

Massage Therapy is a vital component of comprehensive health and wellness care for Ontarians. Despite its proven benefits, the most common average annual insurance coverage maximum for massage therapy remains at approximately $500.00 – an amount that is insufficient for many patients’ needs. The discussion with GreenShield focused on increasing the annual insurance maximums to a much higher amount.

 

The GreenShield Team was very supportive and suggested we focus on the large insurance brokers who have a great deal of influence on their clients’ benefit plans. Our next step will be to reach out to the largest broker organizations, which include HUB, Gallagher, People Corp and Mercer.

Earlier this week, RMTAO member Melissa Hampson met with her member of parliament Fred Davies (Niagara South), to requests with support for HST exemption for RMTs.

 

After an hour of productive conversation, MP Davies was pleased to share that the RMTAO had his full support, and that he would be writing to the Minister of Finance urging him to exempt RMTs across Canada from charging and remitting HST/GST.

 

Melissa also shared with him a letter from Larry Brock, MP for Brantford-Brant, who also wrote to the Minister of Finance requesting HST/GST exemption for RMTs.

 

RMTAO Executive Director Michael Feraday will be following up with MP Davies to explore how else he might be able to assist us in our campaign for HST exemption.

 

A special thanks to Melissa for setting up this meeting with him.

I would like to welcome you to the 2025-2026 Membership Year, and provide you with an update on the RMTAO’s most recent advocacy initiative.

 

On behalf of the RMTAO, I would also like to thank you for your continued support. Continuing to renew your membership represents a continued investment in your own practice success as well as the successes of your peers.

 

If you haven’t renewed you can still log in and renew online.

 

I continue to advocate for the massage therapy profession, and most recently, I met with a number of academic and massage therapy leaders to discuss the possibility of a degree program for massage therapists. Present were Dr. Adalsteinn Brown, Dean of the Dala Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH) at the University of Toronto; Maureen Boon, Registrar and CEO of the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario; Amanda Baskwill, Senior VP Academic and Chief Learning Officer at Loyalist College; Alex Kidd, Chair of the RMTAO and President of the CMTA; Jeremy Scott, Associate Professor at the DLSPH; and myself.

 

While the discussion was preliminary and fairly general we discussed a variety of important topics including:

  • Whether the degree should be in massage therapy specifically or something broader that RMTs can benefit from e.g. public health, contemplative sciences, integrative health
  • What will this degree look like
  • What steps are needed for this process
  • Who needs to be at the table
  • Any other considerations

We will continue to meet regularly as we develop and advance this idea. Having said that, I believe this is an exciting development that will enhance the standing a reputation of the massage therapy profession in Ontario from both an academic and a research perspective.

We completed a variety of advocacy efforts related to HST exemption. this week I met with Remi Gagnon, Policy Advisor for the Ministry of Finance. This was an important meeting because it was the first meeting with a representative of the new government’s Ministry of Finance. It was encouraging because it indicated that the Government was interested in meeting with us to continue to discuss HST exemption.

 

We emphasized to him that most regulated health professions are already exempt from charging and remitting GST/HST, we meet the government’s own criteria for HST exemption, RMTs play an important role in healthcare, and HST exemption will make massage therapy more accessible to patients.

 

We have also been meeting with various MPs about HST exemption, and have found support for exemption with some members of the Conservative Party. Among others, I reached out to MP Jasraj Singh Hallan, Shadow Minister for Finance of the Conservative Party. He advised that we have the support of the Conservative Party on this issue. We have also asked several MPs to sponsor a private members’ bill. MP Dominique O’Rourke of Guelph, a member of the Liberal party, has expressed strong interest in sponsoring a Private Members Bill to support the removal of the GST/HST.

 

All of this is encouraging, and we continue to press MPs at the Federal Level to make this an issue and put pressure on the Government.

As part of our advocacy efforts with the Coalition of Health Professional Associations in Automobile Insurance Services (the Coalition), we recently advocated to ensure that members get paid for their travel expenses under HCAI. Many members who treat patients who were injured in automobile accidents and who travel to patients’ homes for treatments were not being paid for their travel expenses through HCAI.

 

The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) reviewed data from HCAI and determined that many insurers have been denying all health professional claims, including travel expenses.

 

FSRA reminded insurers of their statutory obligations to pay for reasonable and necessary medical and rehabilitation expenses, as outlined in sections 15 and 16 of the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS). These may include provider travel time expenses.

 

FSRA continues to monitor this issue and expects insurers to fully comply with regulatory requirements.

 

We will continue to work with the Coalition to ensure that members who are paid under HCAI are treated more fairly.

I recently met with high-level decision makers at Sunlife. I met with Erin Crump, VP Market Development and Growth, and Krista Hogan, AVP Health Benefit Solutions. This followed my various letters to insurance companies that advocated for increasing the coverage maximum for massage therapy in extended health benefits plans.

 

In addition to requesting increased coverage limits, we also discussed the requirement that some insurance plans have requiring a doctor’s note before accessing massage therapy care, which I pointed out was not necessary and placed a burden on doctors while delaying important massage therapy care.

 

Although it was emphasized that the choice of extended health benefits plan is up to the employer, they also shared that they do have some ability to influence which plans they may steer employers towards.

 

They were very open to our points about the diverse benefits of massage therapy, and agreed that massage therapy can be an important part of healthcare for a variety of conditions. One thing they requested was further research supporting the benefits of massage therapy, because they need to ensure all of their decisions are research-based.

 

I provided them with a variety of massage therapy research, and they expressed a willingness to have further discussions to determine a mutually beneficial solution to help increase the access to massage therapy services through extended health benefits.

 

This is an important first step to breaking down some of the barriers to accessing massage therapy through some of the largest extended health benefits program.

 

I look forward to meeting with Sunlife again, as well as other large insurance companies, to hopefully increase coverage limits as well as remove the requirement for a doctor’s note to access massage therapy care from all benefits plans.

Last week I had a couple of important meetings regarding HST exemption. Thanks to the efforts of Heather McGowan, RMT, who lives in Oshawa, we were able to set up a meeting with her local MP Rhonda Kirkland.

 

Heather and I met with MP Kirkland in her offices in Oshawa. We discussed HST exemption as well as the need for members of the military to have coverage of massage in their benefit plan. She was very supportive of both issues and promised to do what she could to move both issues forward in the Federal Parliament.

 

She also said she would reach out to her colleague, Whitby MP, Ryan Turnbull, who may be able to further help support HST exemption for RMTs within the Federal Parliament. I also met with Jibril Hussein, Senior Policy Advisor – Minister of Health, to discuss our request for HST exemption. He was also very supportive and asked for further information to take this forward with the Ministry of Finance. He also suggested we reach out to the Prime Minister’s Office, which we have now done.

 

We sent him reference to the 2023 Fall Economic Statement that supported the general principle that healthcare services should not be taxed. We also provided details of our previous applications for tax exemption, and a review of the reasons RMTs should receive HST exemption, including the benefits of massage therapy.

 

Finally, we received a reply from the Rémi D. Gagnon, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of the Minister of Finance. He has asked us for a meeting which we will be scheduling shortly.

 

I am encouraged by the current Government’s willingness to meet with us on this important issue.

The RMTAO recently met with representatives from Ontario Health regarding the inclusion of Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) in primary care teams. Ontario Health is an agency within the Ministry that oversees the province’s healthcare system to ensure better access to care and coordinated healthcare services.

 

We shared with them the positive results of our pilot project integrating massage therapy into primary care. This included sharing the positive impact massage therapy had on patient outcomes and patient experiences, especially for patients who wouldn’t otherwise have access to massage therapy care.

 

We were pleased that Ontario Health has expressed openness to assisting RMTAO in various ways, although no final commitments have been made.

 

Ontario Health has indicated a willingness to share the results of the pilot and demonstration projects involving RMTs with existing primary care teams, particularly those that are innovative and open to new approaches.

 

RMTs may also be featured in Ontario Health’s materials about team composition, which are distributed to primary care teams. This is intended to inform and inspire primary care teams to consider the benefits of integrating RMTs, but does not guarantee their inclusion in all communications or teams.

 

Ontario Health has advised that new calls for proposals for establishing or expanding interprofessional primary care teams are in development. The most recent call focused on attaching more Ontarians to publicly funded primary care teams, with a particular emphasis on high-needs areas. While details for the next round of proposals are not yet finalized, Ontario Health anticipates that there will be opportunities for teams to propose new or expanded models of care, potentially including RMTs.

 

We want to emphasize again that no commitments have been made by Ontario Health. However, we will continue to work with them to further the opportunities of ultimately having RMTs included in primary health care teams.

The RMTAO recently wrote to the Minister of National Defence requesting that he extend coverage for massage therapy care to active members of the Canadian Forces to ensure they can access the healthcare they need.

 

Although Veterans Affairs Canada offers coverage for massage therapy, active members of the Canadian Armed Forces do not currently have access to massage therapy benefits.

 

We shared the research that found that musculoskeletal injuries are the main medical cause of restricted duty and days off for active service members, and the number one reason for not being able to deploy. We pointed out that massage therapy can help treat these injuries and ensure active service members remain able to complete their important jobs.

 

We shared that massage therapy makes a difference for veterans by addressing physical symptoms of PTSD and chronic pain, but can also be beneficial for people at all points of their military career.

 

We requested a meeting with the Minister of National Defence, David McGuinty, to discuss this issue further and hopefully eventually extend this coverage to active service members.

The RMTAO recently wrote letters to the CEOs of the largest insurance companies in Canada, requesting that they raise the coverage limits for massage therapy to at least $1000 per insured individual.

 

The most common average annual insurance coverage for massage therapy remains at approximately $500, an amount that is insufficient for many patients’ needs.

 

We pointed out the important role that massage therapy plays in healthcare, especially for the treatment of chronic pain and injury rehabilitation. We emphasized the role of RMTs as regulated health professionals and pointed out that increasing these limits will help people access the healthcare they need and reduce reliance on expensive pharmaceuticals and surgeries.

 

This increased access to massage therapy can lead to reduced absenteeism, improved workplace productivity, and decreased long-term healthcare costs.

 

This is just one of the steps we are taking to increase access to massage therapy for the public, so people can access the healthcare they need, when they need it, and in their own community.

The RMTAO sent letters to all MPs in Ontario immediately following the federal election earlier this year, requesting their support for HST exemption. We also requested meetings with them so we could discuss our request and encourage them to become champions for our cause within the federal government.

 

We received several responses from MPs across Ontario, indicating that they had some interest in discussing our request further. Although many couldn’t meet at the moment, as parliament is about to adjourn for a summer break, there was some interest in approaching them again for another meeting in the future so that they could learn more about the issue.

 

Some MPs also expressed interest in meeting with RMTs in their ridings about this issue. MPs are often more likely to support an issue when it is brought to them by someone in their riding.

 

If you would be interested in meeting with the MP in your riding to request their support for HST exemption, contact the RMTAO at info@rmtao.com, and we will be able to provide you support and guidance. If you live in a riding where the MP has already positively responded to our request, we will be able to connect you with your MP directly.

 

If you’re not sure who your MP is, you can click here to find them.

 

Although there has been positive response to HST exemption for RMTs among some government officials, the more support we can get, the more likely that our request will go forward. In addition, the more support for this issue we can demonstrate to MPs, the more likely they are to champion this issue in parliament. We look forward to attending meetings and facilitating meetings for our members in the coming months to help move this request forward.

I would like to share with our members additional details about our HST exemption strategy, which we have begun implementing after the federal election this year. We have been emphasizing in all communications with the federal government that massage therapy is the only major regulated health profession not exempt from GST/HST, creating an unfair financial burden for patients.

 

We also focus on the fact that the government’s own policy states that professionals that are regulated in at least five provinces, such as massage therapy, are eligible for GST/HST exemption, so they should approve our request.

 

We have already written to all MPs in Ontario, requesting meetings to brief them on this issue and secure their support. We have also written to the Minister of Finance separately, who will be a key decision maker in this issue and hope to be meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Finance shortly.

 

Last month, we also asked that members write to their MPs requesting their support for HST exemption. MPs respond best to issues when they hear about them from people in their ridings, and this is a great way to get more MPs aware of and supportive of GST/HST exemption for RMTs.

 

Many members have already sent letters to their MPs, but if you haven’t already, you can download the template letter below and send it to your MP.

 

Download the template letter to send to your MP requesting support for HST exemption.

 

If you’re not sure who your MP is, click here to find them.

 

We will also be submitting additional evidence-based briefs to the government highlighting patient stories, cost-benefit analyses, and international comparisons.

 

We will work closely with our partners at the Canadian Massage Therapist Association (CMTA) as this is a national issue, as well as partner with other regulated health professions to present a united front on the principle of tax fairness.

 

Some other initiatives are focused on raising public and media awareness, which will ultimately increase public pressure. This will include organizing a national “Day of Action” with coordinated media outreach and meetings with MPs, issuing press releases and op-eds in national and regional outlets to maintain public pressure and awareness, and sharing patient testimonials and expert endorsements on social media and through association channels.

 

These are just some of the initiatives that we have undertaken or will be undertaking to obtain GST/HST exemption for RMTs. I look forward to providing you with further updates as they become available.

The RMTAO recently sent a letter to Jane Philpott, the Chair of the Primary Care Action Team. We shared with her the results of our recent Pilot Project, integrating massage therapy into primary care.

 

We emphasized that 100% of surveyed clients would recommend the service to others, and 95% reported increased satisfaction with their overall care after the introduction of massage therapy. We also shared that this Pilot Project improved patient outcomes, helped patients reach their goals faster, and reduced the burden on other health professionals.

 

We requested a meeting with the Primary Care Action Team to present the full findings of the pilot project and discuss how RMTs can be further integrated into primary care teams across the province.

 

The provincial government emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary, team-based care, with a focus on serving communities with the highest rates of unattached patients. Ontario is also seeking innovative strategies to address healthcare human resource shortages, reduce wait times, and improve patient outcomes in a cost-effective manner.

 

Our letter highlighted how integrating massage therapy into further primary care sites would help the government reach those goals and priorities.

 

Read the letter to Jane Philpott.

 

I look forward to keeping members up to date with any response we may receive.

The RMTAO recently sent a letter to Hon. Andrea Khanjin, Ontario’s Minister of Red Tape Reduction, advocating that RMTs should be able to independently sign the OCF-18 Treatment and Assessment Plan form, streamlining access to care for Ontarians injured in motor vehicle accidents.

 

The letter pointed out that this change would support Ontario’s ongoing efforts to reduce red tape and the administrative burden in healthcare.

 

We emphasized that the current requirement for another health professional to sign an RMT’s OCF-18 form adds unnecessary steps and paperwork, delays timely access to treatment and increases costs for both healthcare providers and insurers, which diverts resources from patient care and can impact patient outcomes.

 

We also pointed out that RMTs are highly trained, regulated professionals who assess and treat physical dysfunction and pain of the soft tissues and joints, without the need of supervision or approval of other professionals, contributing significantly to patient recovery and rehabilitation.

 

Finally, we welcomed Minister Khanjin to further discuss this change with the RMTAO that will reduce red tape, accelerate access to care, and support Ontario’s commitment to efficient, patient-centered health services.

 

Read the letter to Minister Khanjin.

 

Over the past several months, we have also written to the Minister of Finance reiterating this request, both independently and through a joint letter with the Coalition of Health Professions in Auto Insurance. We also met with key policy makers at the Ministry of Finance, who were very supportive of this request and willing to discuss it further.

The provincial government released their 2025 provincial budget last week. One of the most interesting points for RMTs was that auto insurance would become the primary payer for medical and rehabilitation benefits following a motor vehicle accident. The government has stated:

 

Making auto insurance pay for motor vehicle accident injuries before extended health care plans reduces the risk of consumers using up their supplementary health insurance plan benefits for expenses related to motor vehicle accidents. The proposed change to the Insurance Act is also expected to simplify the claims process and increase administrative efficiency in the system. If passed, this change will come into effect July 1, 2026.

 

This was first shared in the fall 2024 Economic Statement and reiterated in the recent budget. This change would remove the obligation for healthcare providers to first invoice extended health benefits (EHB) plans for treatment provided to injured claimants before invoices can be submitted to insurers. This will also simplify administrative processes for accident victims, insurers and health care providers.

 

To date, no more information has been provided by the government on the implementation of the new first payer regime.

 

This is something that the Coalition of Health Professional Associations in Ontario’s Automobile Insurance Sector (“The Coalition”) has been advocating for this for many years, and the RMTAO, as part of the Coalition, has long been supportive of this change. We will ensure to provide our members with updates as soon as they become available.

Now that the federal election is complete, and the cabinet has been announced, it is time to ramp up our advocacy efforts to get HST exemption for RMTs in Canada.

 

The RMTAO recently wrote to the newly re-appointed Minister of Finance, François-Philippe Champagne reiterating our request for HST exemption, and focusing on the fact that massage therapy meets the long-established criteria set out for HST exemption by the Ministry of Finance.

 

You can read that letter here

 

We hope to be able to meet with Minister Champagne and individuals in his Ministry as soon as possible to discuss how we can continue the work of the previous government to move this request forward.

 

One way that RMTs can help support this request is by writing to your MPs, asking that they support HST exemption for RMTs.

 

Download the template letter to send to your MP requesting support for HST exemption.

 

If you’re not sure who your MP is, click here to find them.

 

We will continue to work closely with our partners in the Canadian Massage Therapist Association (CMTA) to ensure all provinces are involved, reapply for HST exemption if necessary, and utilize petitions to demonstrate support for this initiative.

The RMTAO has created a video highlighting the results of our Pilot Project, integrating massage therapy into primary care. This video includes insights from RMTs, other health professionals and patients who participated in the pilot project, highlighting the overwhelmingly positive results.

 

We are sharing this video with government officials in order to support our request for funding for a demonstration project that will expand integration of massage therapy into multiple primary care sites.

 

Through this research, we aim to provide policymakers and healthcare administrators with robust evidence to support the wider integration of massage therapy into Ontario’s primary care system. We hope to use this video to gain support from MPPs across Ontario to help guarantee the demonstration project’s funding and success.

 

Access the video

 

We have created a template letter that members can fill out and send to your MPPs, offering congratulations on the latest provincial election and requesting support for this project. MPPs are more likely to support something that is important to their constituents, so this will help this demonstration project become a reality.

 

If you’re not sure who your MPP is, you can click here to search by postal code.

 

Download the template letter so you can send it to your MPP in support of this demonstration project.

The Federal election will take place on Monday, April 28, 2025. One of the most important federal issues to Ontario RMTs is exemption from HST, and the RMTAO has prepared some tools that you can use to engage with the candidates in your riding about this important issue.

 

Sending Letters
We encourage our members to send letters to the candidates in your riding, which is a great way to let them know that HST exemption is an important issue to their constituents and Ontarians as a whole.

 

You can find out who the candidates are in your riding on the official party websites.

  • Liberal Party - https://liberal.ca/your-liberal-candidates/
  • Conservative Party - https://www.conservative.ca/candidates/
  • NDP - https://www.ndp.ca/team
  • Green Party - https://www.greenparty.ca/en/candidates

If you’re not sure what riding you live in, you can search the Elections Canada website with your postal code.

The RMTAO has created a sample letter that you can send to each of the four primary candidates in your riding to request their support for HST exemption.

Download the template letter in support of HST exemption.

Social Media
The RMTAO has created several sample social media posts that you can use on your own channels to promote HST exemption. Your local candidates likely have their social media information on their official websites, but if not, you can likely find them by searching their name on whichever social media channel you intend to use. You should tag your main local candidates in each post.

View the RMTAO sample social media posts here.

Connecting in Person
Many local candidates will have Town Hall Meetings or other events which allow you to connect in-person with candidates in a less formal setting. Candidates or canvassers will often also come to your door, and it’s good to be prepared to discuss issues that are important to you in these circumstances.

Here are some examples of questions you can ask candidates:

Q: Massage therapists are committed to providing accessible and affordable services to patients, which is why, if massage therapy receives HST/GST exemption, all the savings will go straight to patients. If elected, will [you/your candidate] support the removal of HST/GST from massage therapy services so more Canadians can access the benefits massage therapy provides?

Q: There are more than 14,000 registered massage therapists in Ontario alone. RMTs are qualified and educated health care professionals whose expertise provides significant savings to the health care system while improving patient outcomes. If elected, will [you/your candidate] support fairness for RMTs and the patients they serve by treating them like other regulated health professionals, such as chiropractors or physiotherapists, and remove the HST/GST from massage therapy services?

Q: Massage therapy has benefits for patients’ physical, mental and emotional wellbeing and helps them maintain productive lives. Patients value the benefits of massage therapy and see it as an important part of their health care. Massage therapy is not a luxury. If elected, will [you/your candidate] support the removal of HST/GST from massage therapy services so the well-documented physical, mental, and emotional benefits are more accessible and widely available to Canadians who need them?

There are also some dos and don’ts you can consider when meeting with candidates.

DO

Prepare by doing your homework and knowing the key messages you want to deliver.

Be courteous and respectful when speaking to candidates and canvassers—regardless of their political party.

DON’T

Make partisan statements or endorse a candidate on behalf of the RMTAO or on behalf of other RMTs

Limit your engagement to only one candidate or political party.

Key Messages
We’ve created some key messages to help you engage with candidates and canvassers. It’s not important or essential to use these exact words. You should focus on the main points behind the messages and then share them in the way that is most natural for you. Getting familiar with these messages can help you feel more confident when you meet candidates, so you can engage more effectively.

  • Massage therapy has benefits for patients’ physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing and helps them maintain productive lives. It is not a luxury.
  • Registered massage therapists are an important part of a patient’s health care team, working closely with other health care professionals to meet the needs of patients.
  • Patients value the benefits of massage therapy and see it as an important part of their health care.
  • Services provided by other regulated health professionals, such as chiropractors and physiotherapists, are already exempt from HST/GST. It is unfair to massage therapy patients that RMTs have to play by a different set of rules.
  • Exempting massage therapy from the HST/GST will make its well-documented physical, mental, and emotional benefits more accessible and widely available to Canadians who need them.
  • If massage therapy receives HST/GST exemption, all the savings will go straight to patients.
  • RMTs are qualified, educated, and regulated health care professionals whose expertise provides significant savings to the health care system while improving patient care outcomes.

Choose How You Engage
Candidates want to hear about the issues that are important to their constituents. There are many ways to engage candidates, so you can choose the one(s) that work for you. By raising issues and building relationships during the campaign, we can identify champions for our cause and lay the foundation for our future advocacy after the election is done and a new government is in place.

As you may know, the RMTAO has submitted a proposal for an expanded version of our recent Pilot Project that embedded RMTs into a primary care, integrated, team-based setting. The objective of this proposal for a new demonstration project is to expand Ontario’s capacity to manage both acute and chronic pain with a non-pharmaceutical approach in primary care, through the integration of Registered Massage Therapists as part of comprehensive rehabilitative team-based care.

 

Through this research, we aim to provide policymakers and healthcare administrators with robust evidence to support the wider integration of massage therapy into Ontario’s primary care system. We hope to gain support for this project from MPPs across Ontario to help better guarantee its funding and success.

 

We have created a template letter that members can fill out and send to their MPPs, offering congratulations on the latest provincial election and requesting support for this project. MPPs are more likely to support something that is important to their constituents, so this will help this demonstration project become a reality.

 

If you’re not sure who your MPP is, you can click here to search by postal code. 

 

Download the template letter so you can send it to your MPP in support of this demonstration project.

I am pleased to announce the completion of a Primary Care Compendium. This compendium outlines the roles of various primary care team members and was created as a resource for those dedicated to primary care training and practice reform in support of team-based models of care. The entries about each profession, including the entry about massage therapy, were developed by each of the professional partner groups, with extensive expertise in their respective roles.

 

Entries begin with a case study narrative of the practitioner’s potential role within a team-based model of primary care. Next, important details pertaining to the training, regulation and scope of practice of each practitioner are detailed from a pan-Canadian perspective. Each entry then details the specific contributions of their practitioner group to three illustrative primary care domains—maternal and child health, chronic disease management, and end of life care.

 

This is something I have been actively involved in as part of the Canadian Health Workforce Network for the past several years to ensure Massage Therapy was included in the Compendium. Sharing the diverse benefits of massage therapy and advocating for all important information about an RMT’s skills and qualifications was essential that it be included. This will be important in our advocacy work for the further integration of massage therapy into primary care, and will help other health professionals better understand the role and ability of RMTs.

 

The Compendium was launched at a meeting attended by over 100 health professionals from across Canada. I was one of three professional health group leaders asked to speak on their contribution. I spoke about the successes of our recent pilot project integrating massage therapy into primary care, and the steps we can take moving forward to ensure RMTs are part of more primary care teams. You can view the presentation here. This compendium is an important first step in enhancing interprofessional collaboration, and helping all professions work together in primary care teams to help improve outcomes for patients.

 

Access the Compendium here

As you may know, a federal election has been called for Monday, April 28, 2025.

 

For the RMTAO, this means that we can resume our efforts to advocate for HST exemption. HST exemption is a federal issue, and once a new government is established and parliament is back in session, we will be able to continue our HST exemption campaign and build upon our previous successes.

 

In addition, we are preparing several initiatives during the election period, so that we can ensure that candidates are aware of this important issue. This is where our members support will come in. We will be providing a template letter that members can send to their local MP candidates, and advice on connecting with local MP candidates, so that we can express to each MP candidate that HST exemption is an important issue to RMTs in their riding. That way, whichever MP is elected in each riding, they will already be aware of HST exemption and more predisposed to support it.

 

We will also be providing several sample social media posts that members can use on their own channels, tagging the appropriate candidates in their ridings, highlighting the different reasons to support HST exemption. We will also provide information on how to find your candidates including their social media channels, and tips for interacting with your candidates if you choose to meet them.

 

Once the election is over and a new government is established, we will be able to continue with our advocacy efforts towards HST exemption, including many of the initiatives that were started in previous years with the previous government. Since this process was already started, even with changes in government, we will be able to build upon our previous momentum.

 

Some advocacy initiatives regarding HST exemption may include:

  • Letter to the Minister of Finance requesting HST exemption
  • Meeting with the Ministry of Finance and Finance Critic
  • Meeting with the Minister of Health and the Health Critic
  • Letter to all MPs in Ontario
  • Working closely with the CMTA to involve all other provinces
  • Letter writing campaign for members to write letters to the Minister of Finance
  • Letter writing campaign for members to write to their individual elected MP to request support for HST exemption.
  • Reapplication for HST exemption, in partnership with the CMTA
  • Utilization of petitions showing member support for HST exemption.

This will all start with our HST initiatives during the election, which we will share shortly after the deadline for parties to finalize candidates on April 9.

The Ministry of Health has invited the RMTAO to submit a proposal for an expanded version of our recent Pilot Project that embedded RMTs into a primary care, integrated, team-based setting. The objective of this proposal is to expand Ontario’s capacity to manage both acute and chronic pain with a non-pharmaceutical approach in primary care, through the integration of Registered Massage Therapists as part of comprehensive rehabilitative team-based care.

 

Building on the initial findings of the pilot project, we will propose a comprehensive study to investigate the broader impact of integrating massage therapy into primary care across Ontario, with the aim of evaluating its potential to enhance patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and improve overall efficiency within the primary care system. We will suggest an expansion of the model to many different interprofessional primary care teams, in varying geographic areas, which have an established community-based rehabilitation team (including physiotherapy, as well as one of or both of kinesiology and/or occupational therapy). The expanded demonstration project would target communities where there is a high prevalence of pain related opioid use, and where individuals do not have the resources (ie. do not have 3rd party health insurance or are unable to pay) to access nonpharmaceutical therapies for pain management.

 

The study will evaluate the potential for massage therapy to reduce pain medication usage, decrease the frequency of doctor visits, and improve overall patient satisfaction and quality of life. Additionally, it will assess the economic impact on the healthcare system and explore the potential for massage therapy to serve as a preventative care measure, addressing issues such as stress management and injury prevention. We will be asking the Ministry of Health for funding to do the demonstration project, shortly after the upcoming provincial election.

 

Through this research, we aim to provide policymakers and healthcare administrators with robust evidence to support the wider integration of massage therapy into Ontario’s primary care system, ultimately enhancing patient care and optimizing healthcare resources

On Wednesday January 15, 2025 I met with representatives of the Ministry of Long Term Care including Emily Cohen Henry, Director, System Planning and Partnerships Branch and Nomi Caplan-Guzzwell, Team Lead (Acting) of the System Planning and Partnerships Branch. 


I reviewed with them the pilot project report that outlined the value of massage therapy in primary care settings. Issues raised at the meeting included:

  • There are gaps in the current primary care system – disadvantaged individuals are not receiving massage therapy because of cost issues.
  • The report outlines the types of ailments for which massage therapy was used to treat patients, e.g. joint pain, soft tissue issues, etc.
  • Overwhelming percentage of patients rated the care as satisfied or very satisfied
  • 83% of patients reported improved health
  • The report mentioned the mitigation of pain as a result of massage therapy treatment.

The Ministry is engaged in discussions about how to expand the role of Long-Term Care supporting services that will assist in the aging in community model. In 2025, three LTC Homes will be selected for a pilot project to provide services in the community that will be focused on aging in the community. No decision has yet been made on which three LTC Homes will take part in the project.

Once the LTC Homes that will participate in the pilot project have been identified, RMTAO will reach out to them.

Emily advised RMTAO to reach out to LTC Homes since they have funding for services provided by health care professionals.

She also indicated that the Ministry would support the concept of a demonstration project about aging in the community.

Emily also advised us to contact the Ontario Long Term Care Association (for profit homes) and AdvantAge (not-for-profit homes) with a view to briefing them on the pilot project results and promoting massage therapy as a tool for LTC homes to consider for their residents/patients.

She recommended that RMTAO attend conferences and symposiums run by both organizations as a way of introducing the RMTAO to them as well as the advantages of massage therapy to the healthcare of seniors.

Emily also recommended that RMTAO meet with the Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility since they have broad oversight of seniors issues on a community basis.

Finally, Emily noted that the pilot project the LTC homes will focus on how to stabilize seniors’ health and avoid hospital emergency department visits. The Ministry is always looking for outcomes regarding this goal. They would be interested in any data that demonstrates that massage therapy would support this goal. They want tangible results showing how massage therapy will manage health-related conditions so as to decrease the number of ER visits.

The RMTAO will follow up on these recommendations and keep our members up to date with our work with the Ministry of Long-Term Care. 

As you may know we have been advocating for the removal of the requirement for RMTs to have another health professional sign off on their OCF-18 Treatment and Assessment Plan when treating individuals who have been injured in an automobile accident.

 

We sent a follow-up letter to the Minister of Finance Hon. Peter Bethlenflavy, advocating for this issue, which has become more timely since the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (“FSRA”) is currently undertaking various consultations in respect of Health Claims for Auto Insurance (“HCAI”). You can read the letter here. 

 

I also recently met with several government officials regarding the requirement for an RMT to have another health professional sign off on their OCF-18. First I met with Corey Naimark, the Senior Manager in the Ministry of Finance’s Property and Casualty Insurance Policy Branch. This branch briefs the Minister and political staff on issues pertaining to auto insurance and are ultimately responsible for drafting legislative and regulatory changes that the Minister directs them to draft. I also met with Miles White, Director of Tax and Expenditure at the Ministry of Finance who will be a key decision maker in this area.

 

In these meetings, we pointed out that this requirement is not conducive to efficiency, cost-effectiveness, or timely access to care. We also emphasized that RMTs undergo rigorous training, pass competency exams, and complete continuing education to provide massage therapy. We also highlighted that RMTs are able to perform their own treatments and assessments within their scope of practice without sign off or supervision in any other circumstance.

 

We proposed that RMTs be allowed to sign Section 4 of the OCF-18 form themselves, reflecting the actual landscape of healthcare services available. This change would streamline the claims process, leading to faster approvals and reduced administrative costs.

 

Both individuals we met with were open to hearing our points and considering our proposal. We will keep you up to date as the situation progresses.

This week, I was able to attend a reception that included the Ontario Minister of Health Sylvia Jones, and MPP Robin Martin, who was her Parliamentary Assistant up until very recently.

 

I was able to meet with them both directly and I shared with them the overwhelmingly positive results of the RMTAO pilot project to integrate massage therapy into primary care. They were pleased to hear about the results, and I was able to discuss our interest in using these results to support further integration of massage therapy in primary care. 

 

Minister Jones was receptive to setting up a future meeting to discuss the pilot project results more in depth, and discuss how she can be involved in the future integration of massage therapy into primary care. 

In the coming weeks, I will also be meeting with others from the Ministry of Health, Ontario Health and the Ministry of Long-Term Care, to advocate for further inclusion of massage therapy into primary care. I look forward to providing members with additional updates after those meetings.

Below is a picture of me with Minister of Health Sylvia Jones taken at this week's event.

As you may know, the City of Markham has begun introducing additional business regulation for RMTs, acupuncturists and chiropractors. This would be a business license that impacts the business as an entity rather than the individual professional, and would only apply to business owners within the City of Markham. 

Recently, I met with representatives in the City of Markham to request clarification on these requirements and updates in their language to ensure they were conveying accurate information. The initial request to professionals applying for business licenses said this applied to “personal services shops”. The City of Markham uses this language to apply to a variety of businesses including business run by regulated health professionals such as RMTs and chiropractors. We explained that this would cause confusion as it makes it seem as if they are unaware of the difference between regulated health professionals and unregulated practitioners. They have agreed to change their language in future communications to clarify their intent. 

In addition, this communication made it seem like they were only regulating the businesses of certain health professionals, and we asked why they were not treating all health professional businesses equally. They clarified that it is the eventual intention to apply this regulation to all health professional businesses, and they prioritized certain types of health professional businesses where they receive the most complaints about unregulated practitioners. It is the eventual intention of the City of Markham to apply this regulation to all health professional businesses. 

We were also concerned about the financial burden this might have on members in Markham. The City agreed to extend the deadline for business licenses to the end of 2024, only after they have provided the clarified communication requested. In addition they have agreed to consider lower licensing fees for professionals who have solo practices or smaller businesses. This business registration fee would not apply to RMTs with mobile practices. 

We hope to be able to share updated communication from the City of Markham in the coming weeks. We will keep members up to date with this situation as it develops. 

As you likely know, RMTs in Ontario meet all criteria for HST/GST exemption and the vast majority of practitioners in Ontario support the HST changes.

 

The Minister of Finance, Chyristia Freeland has confirmed that RMTs meet all criteria and that the government has received the official request for tax exemption from RMTs, and is in the process of considering this request.

 

The RMTAO, along with our partners in the Canadian Massage Therapist Association (CMTA) regularly follow up with the Ministry of Finance, however, there has been no definitive movement on the exemption, nor have we received a timeline for when these processes may be completed.

 

To further press this issue and increase the urgency with the Minister of Finance, we are asking that our members send a letter to Minister Chrystia Freeland expressing their support for moving tax exemption for RMTs forward.

 

The RMTAO has provided a template letter to send to Minister Freeland that outlines the importance of tax exemption for massage therapy and requests that she move the process forward.

 

You can choose to mail this letter, or attach it to an email to Minister Freeland. If you would like to send this letter as an email you can send it to chrystia.freeland@parl.gc.ca . 

 

Download the letter to send to Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland

 

Your support in making the Minister of Finance aware of the importance of this issue will greatly assist our efforts as we follow up with Minister Freeland in the fall of 2024. As most of you are aware, we have been able to raise the profile of this issue with the federal government. We just need to influence the Minister of Finance to be favourable to our cause to successfully obtain tax exemption for RMTs.

The RMTAO recently sent a letter to all MPPs providing them with an update on our Pilot Project, which aims to prove the benefits of the integration of massage therapy into primary care teams.  This letter was sent to all MPPs in Canada, including important Ministers

 

This letter includes a review of the benefits of massage therapy, and detailed information about what the Pilot Project will evaluate. We also emphasized that this Pilot Project is the first step to the further integration of massage therapy into interprofessional primary care teams.

 

The results of the Pilot Project are coming out in the coming weeks, and we will be sharing the results widely including with MPPs and other government officials.

 

This letter also included the second video the RMTAO created to highlight the experiences of patients accessing massage therapy through the Pilot Project. The feedback from patients has been overwhelmingly positive, and patients who didn’t previously have access have been able to access massage therapy.

 

I am pleased with the progress of the Pilot Project so far, and look forward to providing additional information as it becomes available.

 

Read the letter to MPPs

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