05/04/2026
Did you know this about Massage Therapy in Ontario? đ
Under current regulations, an RMT cannot treat their spouse as a patient.
Because of the way the law is written (under the Regulated Health Professions Act), if a healthcare provider treats someone theyâre in a sexual relationship withâeven a spouseâit is automatically classified as sexual abuse of a patient.
Sounds extreme, right? Thatâs because the rule was designed as a zero-tolerance policy to protect patients from power imbalances in healthcare settings.
But hereâs the interesting partâŚ
đ The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO) is now proposing a spousal exemption, which would allow RMTs to treat their spouse without it being classified this way.
âď¸ Many other healthcare professions in Ontario already have this exemption
âď¸ It would better reflect real-life relationships
âď¸ Safeguards would still be in place to protect the public
This change has NOT happened yetâso the current rule still applies.
What do you think? Should RMTs be allowed to treat their spouse?
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