The Massage Therapy Act introduced in the Saskatchewan Legislature on Monday, if passed, will establish the Saskatchewan College of Massage Therapy, which would be a regulatory body to govern massage therapists in the province.
Health Minister Paul Merriman says it would be a stand-alone regulatory body, separate from any of the three existing associations – Massage Therapists Association of Saskatchewan, Natural Health Practitioners of Canada and the Canadian massage and Manual Osteopathic Therapists Association.
They will continue as advocacy organizations similar to the Saskatchewan Medical Association for physicians.
Merriman says the Act will help to protect the public if there are instances of unethical or incompetent practitioners and will provide title protection for massage therapists, meaning only members of the College would be able to use titles such as massage therapist and registered massage therapist.