The City is reviewing its licensing rules for body rub parlours and holistic centres. Staff plan to report to City Council with recommendations to amend the City’s Licensing Bylaw and update the licensing application process and bylaw enforcement. The goal of this review is to support the safety, health, well-being and human rights of workers in these industries, while upholding the City’s role to protect consumers and mitigate potential community impacts.
This review covers sensitive topics. You may read or hear potentially distressing content. City of Toronto resources are listed at the bottom of this project webpage regarding health and wellness, community safety and more.
The City invites insights from Toronto body rub parlour workers, holistic practitioners, owners/operators of body rub parlours or holistic centres, Professional Holistic Associations listed in the Licensing Bylaw and advocates of workers, survivors of gender-based violence and survivors of human trafficking with lived experiences in Toronto’s body rub parlours and/or holistic centres.
Take this survey, which closes on March 7, 2025.
Your participation is voluntary and anonymous. You will not be asked to share your name or any other personally identifying information. If you have a City of Toronto licence, choosing to participate (or not) will not impact your licence.
If you prefer to email or mail your responses to the questions below, send them by March 7, 2025 to:
Email: brphc.review@toronto.ca
Or
Mail: Municipal Licensing and Standards, City of Toronto, 100 Queen St. W., 16th floor, Toronto, ON M5H 2N2
From you, the City wants to learn:
Body rub parlours are businesses that provide non-medical or non-therapeutic massages by someone who is not a registered massage therapist or a licensed and registered holistic practitioner. The City has been regulating body rub parlours since 1975. Owners and operators of body rub parlours in Toronto, and those who provide services in these establishments are required to obtain a City licence.
No more than 25 licensed body rub parlours are allowed in Toronto. They can only be in employment industrial zones, away from residential zones, schools or places of worship. Currently, there are 23 licensed body rub parlours in the city.
To receive a City licence to operate or work in a body rub parlour, applicants must meet various requirements and follow the rules in the Licensing Bylaw. Learn more about the application requirements for body rub parlour owners/operators and workers.
Holistic centres provide therapeutic and wellness services (for example, reiki, aromatherapy and shiatsu) but do not provide body rub services, registered massage therapy, traditional Chinese medicine or acupuncture services. In 1998, the City began regulating holistic centres and practitioners. Holistic centres are permitted in commercial-residential zones across the city. There are currently 300 licensed holistic centres in Toronto.
To obtain a City licence to run or work in a holistic centre, applicants must meet various requirements and follow the rules in the Licensing Bylaw. Learn more about the application requirements for holistic centre owners and operators and holistic practitioners.
In 2005, the City began relying on Professional Holistic Associations as governing and accrediting bodies to oversee their members of holistic practitioners and ensure that safe and proper services are provided. Membership to a Professional Holistic Association that is listed in Appendix L to the Licensing Bylaw is a requirement for obtaining a holistic centre owner/operator licence as well as a holistic practitioner licence.
The Licensing Bylaw does not regulate Professional Holistic Associations. There is no fee for applying to be listed in the Licensing Bylaw.
To be a Professional Holistic Association that is listed in the Licensing Bylaw, applicants must meet certain criteria, including but not limited to registering the association as a not-for-profit organization and having a board of directors elected by members. Associations also need to provide a copy of the governing bylaws and an outline of their disciplinary process for members. Professional Holistic Associations can charge membership fees.
There are 37 Professional Holistic Associations listed in Appendix L of the Licensing Bylaw. Since 2018, the City has had a moratorium (2018.LS24.2) on receiving applications for new holistic practitioner licences from members of five associations:
As directed by City Council in 2017 and 2018, staff conducted an initial review of the regulations for body rub parlours, holistic centres and professional holistic associations between November 2018 and May 2019.
In May 2019, City staff provided a report on research completed, public feedback received and considerations for the licensing rules for body rub parlours and holistic centres.
The Committee referred the report back and directed staff to conduct further consultations and report again to Committee on several ideas, including strengthening the oversight of professional holistic associations and developing regulations to revoke the membership of individuals or organizations providing unlicensed services. The report scheduled was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to divert resources to emergency efforts, and City staff requiring time to plan a meaningful engagement process.
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Municipal Licensing and Standards collects your personal email address under the legal authority of Toronto City Council Item 2018.LS24.2, as confirmed by the City of Toronto By-law 528-2018. The information will be used to confirm and administer a subscription to electronic notifications regarding Body Rub Parlours and Holistic Centres. Questions about this collection can be directed to Policy Development Officer, Policy and Strategic Support, Municipal Licensing and Standards, City Hall, 100 Queen Street West, 16th Floor West, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2N2, or by telephone at 416-392-7273.