The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO) is the regulator established by the provincial government to regulate the practice of Massage Therapy and to govern the conduct of Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) in the province of Ontario through the provisions of the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA) and the Massage Therapy Act, 1991. CMTO is dedicated to excellence in protecting the public’s interest, guiding its registrants and promoting the highest possible quality of the practice of Massage Therapy.
Not to be confused with a school that teaches Massage Therapy, or the membership-based professional association (the Registered Massage Therapists’ Association of Ontario), CMTO is one of the 26 regulatory Colleges that oversee their respective health professions in this province, as set out in the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991.
Pour de l’assistance ou des renseignements en français, veuillez contacter cmto@cmto.com
In Ontario, diploma programs in Massage Therapy are offered at Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology, as well as Private Career Colleges registered with and approved by the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities. The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO) does not grant approval to educational institutions or Massage Therapy education programs.
The following educational programs are recognized by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. You will meet CMTO’s educational requirement if you successfully complete one of the following educational programs:
Algonquin College of Applied Arts & Technology Nepean
Bryan College of Applied Health and Business Sciences North York
Cambrian College, Sudbury
Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy Cambridge, Toronto (Program no longer operating as of May 20, 2020)
Canadian College of Health Science and Technology Windsor
CDI College – Business Technology Healthcare North York
Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology Scarborough
College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacology Canada Toronto
Collège Boreal Sudbury
D’Arcy Lane Institute London
Durham College Oshawa
Elegance College of Healthcare Services and Cosmetology Cornwall
Fanshawe College London
Georgian College Barrie
Humber College of Applied Arts & Technology Toronto
Institute of Complementary & Alternative Therapies Toronto (program not currently offered)
International Academy of Applied Health. Ottawa
Kikkawa College Toronto
Lambton College of Applied Arts & Technology Sarnia
Loyalist College of Applied Arts and Technology Belleville
Medix School Brampton, Kitchener, London, Scarborough, Toronto (Career College Group)
Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology Hamilton
National Institute Brampton
Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology Welland
Northern College Timmins (program not offered since June 2018)
Ontario College of Health & Technology Stoney Creek
Oxford College Burlington, Mississauga, Peterborough, Toronto, Barrie
Pharma-Medical Science College of Canada North York
Protégé School Scarborough
Royal Canadian College of Massage Therapy Toronto
Sir Sandford Fleming College of Applied Arts & Technology Peterborough
Sutherland-Chan School Toronto
Trillium College Kingston, London, Oshawa, Ottawa, St. Catharines, Toronto
triOS College Hamilton, London, Mississauga, Windsor, Kitchener, Toronto
Westervelt College London, Kitchener, Brantford, Windsor
Next steps in the registration process
Once you have graduated from a Massage Therapy program from one of approved programs above, you will be required to take Certification Examinations administered by the College. Your education must be no more than three years old on the date you are scheduled to take an examination. If your education is more than three years old, you must successfully complete a CMTO-approved refresher course no more than 15 months before the date you are scheduled to take an examination.
UPDATE: If your graduation deadline was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible for an extension to the three-year graduation deadline. To confirm whether your graduation deadline is eligible please click on the chart for more information.
For more information, please review CMTO’s Education Requirement for Exam Eligibility and Initial Registration policy. La version Française est également disponible ici.
More information about the requirements for registration with CMTO is available here.