Make massage therapy tax-free
Physiotherapy, chiropractic, and psychotherapy are all exempt from GST/HST. Massage therapy — the same regulated health care, often in the same clinic — is still taxed.
It’s time to fix it.
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Re: Remove the GST/HST on Massage Therapy in Budget 2026
Dear [Member of Parliament],
I am writing as one of your constituents to ask you to support a simple, fair, and long-overdue change: removing the GST/HST from massage therapy services in the upcoming federal budget.
Massage therapy is one of the most widely used therapeutic health services in Canada. Yet it sits on the wrong side of a line in the tax code. When a patient sees a physiotherapist, chiropractor, naturopath, acupuncturist — or, as of 2024, a psychotherapist — their care is exempt from GST/HST. When that same patient is treated by a Registered Massage Therapist, often in the very same clinic for the same clinical reason, they are taxed on it. The treatment is comparable, the regulatory standards are comparable, and the tax treatment is the outlier.
I urge you to support correcting this on three grounds:
- It’s a matter of fairness. Massage therapy is regulated health care, delivered by qualified professionals — now regulated in five provinces, meeting the federal government’s own five-province criterion for exemption. It is the last major regulated therapy still taxed. Comparable professions no longer charge this tax, and massage therapy should be treated the same way.
- It’s a matter of affordability. This tax does not fund better care — it adds 13–15% to the cost of every treatment and puts therapeutic care further out of reach for the Canadians who rely on it. At a time when affordability is a national priority, removing it makes real, everyday health care more accessible.
- It’s a change that’s ready to make. The mechanism is well established, the fiscal cost is modest, and the government used it just last year for psychotherapy. In May 2024, the Minister of Finance confirmed that massage therapy meets the criteria for exemption. What remains is the decision to act.
Specifically, I ask that the government amend Part II of Schedule V of the Excise Tax Act to include the practice of massage therapy in the definition of “practitioner,” and add massage therapy services to the list of exempt health services — for regulated therapeutic massage therapy.
Please raise this with the Minister of Finance and support its inclusion in the fall 2026 budget. I would welcome your reply on where you stand.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Address / Postal Code — Riding]
This campaign is led by the Canadian Massage Therapy Association, representing 14,870 massage therapists across Canada. www.crmta.ca
Same care.
Different tax.
Massage therapy is one of the most widely used therapeutic health services in Canada. When you see a physiotherapist, chiropractor, or psychotherapist, your care is exempt from GST/HST. When a Registered Massage Therapist treats you for the same clinical reason — often in the very same clinic — you pay tax on it. The treatment is comparable. The regulatory standards are comparable. The tax treatment is the outlier.
Why it matters now
A tax on care that makes care cost more
This tax doesn’t fund better care — it adds 13–15% to the cost of every treatment and puts therapeutic care further out of reach for the Canadians who rely on it. And the timing matters: the federal budget is being written right now. Decisions are being made this fall — which is exactly when decision-makers need to hear from you.
The case is already made
5 provinces regulate massage therapy (ON, BC, NB, NL, PEI), meeting the federal five-province rule.
18,000+ Canadians signed the federal e-petition.
May 2024: the Minister of Finance confirmed massage therapy meets the exemption criteria.
2014 & 2024: naturopathy, acupuncture, then psychotherapy were added. The list keeps growing.
What we’re asking for
We’re asking the government to amend Part II of Schedule V of the Excise Tax Act to include the practice of massage therapy in the definition of “practitioner,” and add massage therapy services to the list of exempt health services — for regulated therapeutic massage therapy, not spa services. It’s a low-cost, well-understood measure the government has used before.
FAQ
Will this lower the cost of my massage?
The goal is to make care more affordable — every dollar of tax relief is intended to go back to patients.
Has the tax already been removed?
No. Massage therapists must continue to charge GST/HST until the change is official. This campaign is how we get there.
Will it apply in my province?
If granted, the exemption applies across Canada. In regulated provinces, registered RMTs are covered; in others, therapists who meet equivalent qualifications qualify.