Registered Massage Therapists' Association of Ontario

What Registered Massage Therapists' Association of Ontario does

The Registered Massage Therapists' Association of Ontario (RMTAO) is a member-driven, non-profit professional association founded in 1936 (originally as the Ontario Massage Therapists Association) and headquartered at 1243 Islington Avenue in Etobicoke, Ontario. RMTAO exists to advance the massage therapy profession in Ontario, serving Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) licensed by the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO), as well as massage therapy students, employers hiring RMTs, and the general public seeking therapy services. The association operates with a small staff of 14 employees across an addressable member base of approximately 14,000 RMTs in Ontario.

RMTAO's core offerings are organized around a Flex Membership model: basic annual membership at $144.99 + HST (October to September), free student membership, and optional add-on programs. Core products include the public-facing RMTFind.com therapist directory (free listing plus paid additional listings), Professional Liability Insurance via Trisura and broker BFL Canada (advertised as the lowest rate in Canada, with $5M aggregate and $3M per occurrence coverage), Continuing Education courses and webinars, the biennial Education Conference, the Community-Based Networks (CBNs) spanning 25+ Ontario regions, and publications including Massage Therapy Today magazine and The Friday File weekly newsletter. Optional member programs include health/dental insurance (PolicyMe, Perlinger/CMTA), personal accident/critical illness/travel insurance, home and auto insurance (Robertson Hall), practice management software (ClinicSense, Noterro), telehealth (Physitrack), GoodLife Fitness memberships, Mark's workwear discounts, TELUS/Rogers mobile plans, FBC accounting services, OrthoCanada supplies, and Alliance Merchant Services POS terminals. A career listing service ($100 + HST per 28-day posting) serves employers hiring RMTs.

RMTAO's go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer enrollment via rmtao.com, community-led growth through 25+ regional CBNs and referral programs such as the DARE Challenge, and event-driven engagement via webinars, in-person courses, the biennial Education Conference, Queen's Park Lobby Day, and Massage Therapy Awareness Week. Revenue is derived from annual membership dues (subscription), optional program enrollment fees (GoodLife $25, home/auto insurance $24, personal insurance $12), additional RMTFind listings ($12/year), PLI premium pass-through economics, career listing fees, and continuing education course revenue. RMTAO is governed by a Board of Directors, operates with no parent company or external ownership, and is currently seeking a new Executive Director & CEO under a 3-year contract.

Name

Registered Massage Therapists' Association of Ontario

Legal name

Registered Massage Therapists' Association of Ontario

Website

https://rmtao.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Registered Massage Therapists' Association of Ontario (RMTAO) is a 1936-founded non-profit professional association serving Ontario's Registered Massage Therapists and students with membership, liability insurance, continuing education, advocacy, and a public therapist directory (RMTFind.com).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Offices of Other Health Practitioners (6213)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSALAEAO

Medical/Therapeutic Massage (Rehab/Pain Management)

Home & Personal Services/Personal Care & Beauty Services/Massage Therapy Services

Keywords

• Professional association services
• Massage therapy advocacy
• Continuing education programs
• Professional liability insurance
• Member directory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Etobicoke

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees provide the primary revenue stream. Basic membership is $144.99 + HST per year (October 1 to September 30). Pro-rated quarterly options available on January 1, April 1, and July 1. Student membership is free.
2. Professional Liability Insurance: Optional insurance program offered to members with premiums ranging from $20-$90 + PST depending on enrollment timing. Includes $5 million aggregate coverage and $3 million per occurrence. Additional modality coverage available for extra fees.
3. Optional Programs and Services: Various optional programs including GoodLife Fitness memberships, Home and Auto Insurance, Health Benefits, Personal Insurance, Practice Management Software discounts, TELUS/Rogers discounts, Mark's discount, Perkopolis, Point of Sale terminals, and OrthoCanada supplies - each with associated enrollment fees.
4. Career Listing Service: Fee-based service for employers to post job listings for RMTs. Costs $100 + HST per listing for a 28-day period.
5. Continuing Education: Revenue from in-person and online educational courses and events. Members receive preferred pricing while non-members can also attend courses.
6. Additional RMTFind Listings: Each member receives one FREE listing on RMTFind.com. Additional practice location listings can be purchased for $12.00 CDN + HST per listing, per year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

The RMTAO is a non-profit professional association that delivers a Flex Membership to Ontario's Registered Massage Therapists combining core benefits (RMTFind.com public listing, publications, continuing education access, career listings, Community-Based Networks, and discounts) with optional add-on programs such as Professional Liability Insurance and Health Benefits. It also provides professional advocacy to government, regulators (CMTO), and insurers, plus in-person and online continuing education courses and networking through over 25 regional Community-Based Networks.

Product overview

The RMTAO operates as a professional association offering a Flex Membership model combining basic membership with optional add-on programs. Core offerings include: (1) RMTFind.com public directory for therapist discovery, (2) Professional Liability Insurance with $5M aggregate coverage, (3) Continuing Education courses and webinars, (4) Community-Based Networks for peer networking, and (5) Publications including Massage Therapy Today magazine. Optional add-on programs include health/dental benefits through PolicyMe, practice management software (ClinicSense, Noterro), telehealth platform (Physitrack), fitness memberships (GoodLife), mobile plans (TELUS), accounting services (FBC), and various discount programs. The association also provides advocacy services and career resources. The platform does not offer technical API integrations but functions primarily as a membership management and member services portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RMTFind.com: Online directory service where the public can search for registered massage therapists by postal code, city or name
• Massage Therapy Today: Putting Knowledge Into Practice
• The Friday File
• Community-Based Networks (CBNs)

Products and services

• Flex Membership (Annual Membership) Annual membership ($144.99 + HST per membership year from October 1 to September 30) combining core benefits including a free RMTFind.com listing, publications, continuing education access, career listings, Community-Based Network access, and member discounts. Pro-rated quarterly options available January 1, April 1, and July 1. Free for students in approved massage therapy programs. Membership categories include Active, Associate, Student, Life, Retired, and Honorary.
• Professional Liability Insurance (PLI) with Commercial General Liability Annual Professional Liability and Commercial General Liability insurance offered through Trisura/BFL Canada to RMTAO members. Premiums range from $20 to $90 + PST by enrollment window. Coverage includes $5 million aggregate and $3 million per occurrence plus legal defense costs. Optional additional modality coverage available for Acupuncture, Ultrasound, Aesthetics/Reflexology, Personal Training, Shock Wave Therapy, and others.
• RMTFind.com Public Directory Public-facing online directory allowing Ontario residents to search for Registered Massage Therapists by postal code, city, or name. Each member receives one free listing; additional practice location listings can be purchased for $12 + HST per listing per year. Advanced search supports filtering by language, hours, insurance accepted, and practice type.
• Continuing Education In-person and online professional development courses covering practical topics for massage therapy practice. Includes seminars across Ontario, webinars, and a biennial Education Conference. Members receive preferred pricing; non-members can also attend for a higher fee.
• Community-Based Networks (CBNs) Local networking groups for RMTs and massage therapy students providing peer connection, knowledge sharing, social activities, and educational events. Over 25 CBNs operate across Ontario regions with corresponding Facebook groups. Open to all RMTs and students, not only RMTAO members.
• Career Listing Service Fee-based job posting service for employers seeking to hire RMTs or lease treatment space. Priced at $100 + HST per listing for a 28-day posting period. Supports posting of compensation structures (split percentage or salary) and contact details.
• Health Benefits Programs (PolicyMe / Perlinger-CMTA) Extended health and dental coverage programs offered exclusively to RMTAO members through PolicyMe and the Perlinger/CMTA partnership, with flexible coverage levels tailored to individual needs. Enrollment open within 30 days of joining RMTAO or during January 1-February 1 annually.
• Personal Insurance Program Personal accident disability, critical illness, and travel insurance coverage available to members via a one-time $12 + HST enrollment fee, with ongoing premiums paid to the insurer.
• Home and Auto Insurance Program Home and auto insurance program offered in partnership with Robertson Hall, specializing in coverage for individuals practicing out of their homes. Members pay a one-time $24 + HST enrollment fee; additional premiums are paid to the insurer.
• GoodLife Fitness Membership Program Discounted gym memberships via GoodLife Fitness partnership offering 30% off regular annual rates, plus a one-time $25 + HST enrollment fee. Members can extend memberships to up to two additional individuals at discounted rates.
• Perkopolis Discount Program Members-only discount program providing access to discounted products and services including hotels, attractions, movies, shopping, and travel through the Perkopolis partnership.
• ClinicSense Practice Management Program Massage therapy website and practice management solution offered at discounted rates to RMTAO members through the ClinicSense partnership, providing a practice management platform for RMTs.
• Noterro Clinic Management Program Online clinic management tool offered to RMTAO members with a $10/month discount off any monthly plan, via the Noterro partnership.
• Physitrack Patient Engagement Program Digital healthcare patient engagement platform providing clinical home exercise and education prescription, outcomes tracking, and Telehealth for physical rehabilitation, offered with 20% discount for RMTAO members through the Physitrack partnership.
• TELUS Mobility Program Discounted TELUS Mobility rate plans and services on the latest mobile devices available to RMTAO members via the TELUS partnership.
• Mark's Workwear Discount 10% discount on all workwear at any Mark's location in Canada for RMTAO members, redeemable via a downloadable voucher.
• Scholarships for Underrepresented Groups $1,000 annual scholarship for individuals from underrepresented groups entering massage therapy programs in Ontario.
• Awards and Recognition Program Annual awards including the Ken Rezsnyak RMT of the Year Award, Professional Service Award, Research Award, Educator of the Year Award, and Honorary Membership. Recognizes individual RMTs and educators for leadership, research, professional service, and contributions to the profession.
• Publications and Resources Publications including Massage Therapy Today digital magazine (3 issues per year), The Friday File weekly e-newsletter (50 issues per year), Contract Guide, HST Guidelines, Fraud Prevention Guide, and additional practice-management templates, brochures, and resource-library materials.
• Professional Advocacy Services Government, regulatory (CMTO), and insurance-industry advocacy on behalf of Ontario RMTs. Includes ongoing HST exemption campaign, health team integration advocacy, OCF-18 reform, and participation in interprofessional coalitions such as CMTA, CORHPA, HEAL, the Coalition of Health Professions in Auto Insurance, and the WSIB Health Professionals' Forum.

Quantifiable outcome

• HST exemption advocacy continues with government representatives
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Canadian Massage Therapist Alliance (CMTA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1991National alliance composed of 9 provincial and 2 territorial massage therapy associations. Works collaboratively to promote massage therapy, ensure highest standards in education and practice, and advocate to government, insurers, and public. RMTAO plays a leadership role in joint advocacy efforts including HST exemption campaign.
• College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory body for RMTs in Ontario. RMTAO works with CMTO on issues affecting the profession. Jointly created fact sheet on acupuncture treatment provided by RMTs. Collaborates on professional standards and regulatory matters.
• Coalition of Ontario Regulated Health Professions' Associations (CORHPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroup of associations representing health professionals regulated under the Regulated Health Professions Act. Works together on issues affecting all regulated health professionals in Ontario including government healthcare program inclusion, extended health benefits issues, regulatory changes, and urgent matters like COVID-19.
• Organizations for Health Action (HEAL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-partisan coalition of 40 national health organizations dedicated to improving Canadian health and care quality. Represents 650,000+ health providers and consumers. Focus on sustainable solutions and health system transformation.
• Coalition of Health Professions in Auto InsurancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresents over 40,000 front line health professionals from nine regulated professions involved in assessment and treatment within Ontario auto insurance sector. Advocates for timely access to care within a sustainable, cost-effective auto insurance system.
• WSIB Health Professionals' ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroup of health care professional associations working together on matters pertaining to provision, remuneration, and policies for healthcare services to WSIB worker claimants. Makes submissions to WSIB for consideration by Health Care Advisory Committee.
• Inter-professional Extended Health Coverage Advisory Advocacy CollaborationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAd hoc collaborative of health care associations focused on advocating with insurance industry on fee inadequacy, scopes of practice, and audits/delisting issues. Addresses shadow regulation by insurers and ensures fair treatment within extended health benefits system.
• TrisuracoreTechnology or IntegrationInsurance company providing Professional Liability Insurance program to RMTAO members. Offers occurrence-form policy with $5M aggregate, $3M per occurrence coverage. Trisura Portal used for member enrollment and insurance management.
• BFL CanadacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInsurance broker managing RMTAO Professional Liability Insurance Program, including additional modality coverage (acupuncture, ultrasound, shock wave therapy, etc.). Contact: Kris Gaetano (416-849-3080) and Claire Cosme (416-849-3102).
• GoodLife FitnessminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGym partnership offering RMTAO members discounted memberships at 30% off regular rates. One-time $25 enrollment fee. Members can add up to 2 additional family members at discounted rates.
• Mark's Work WarehouseminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkwear retailer partnership offering RMTAO members 10% discount on all workwear at any Mark's location in Canada. Downloadable voucher available.
• TELUS MobilityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMobile carrier partnership offering RMTAO members discounted rate plans and services on latest mobility devices. Members can sign up online or contact TELUS at 1-877-460-1195.
• RogersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMobile carrier partnership offering RMTAO members discounted mobile rates and services.
• PerkopolisminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive member discount program offering access to various discounted products and services including hotels, attractions, movies, shopping, and travel.
• Intelligent OfficeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOffice services provider offering RMTAO members discounted rates on treatment room rentals and other office services.
• OrthoCanadaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedical supplies partnership offering RMTAO members discounted rates on Sukha massage products, K-taping courses, and Shockwave Training Courses.
• Robertson HallminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInsurance provider specializing in home insurance for individuals practicing out of their homes. Offers RMTAO members home and auto insurance program. Contact: 1-800-640-0933.
• Alliance Merchant ServicesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPoint of sale terminal provider offering RMTAO members low rates for POS terminals for their practices. Contact: 1-888-955-8881 x502 or [email protected].
• FBCminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccounting and tax services partnership offering RMTAO members 10% off their first year membership on tax preparation, planning, and audit representation services.
• PolicyMeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHealth and dental coverage provider exclusively for RMTAO members. Flexible coverage options tailored to individual needs with range of plans. Also offers free, no-obligation term life insurance quote online.
• Perlinger/CMTA Health BenefitsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExtended health coverage program offered in partnership with Canadian Massage Therapy Association. Premiums based on individual needs with various coverage levels. Enrollment open within 30 days of joining RMTAO or during January 1-February 1 annually.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP): US-based membership organization serving massage therapists and bodyworkers with liability insurance, CE, advocacy, and member benefits. Closely comparable on revenue model (membership dues + PLI) and product set, though serving a more diverse set of manual therapy professions.
• American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA): Largest professional membership association for massage therapists in the United States. Directly comparable to RMTAO in mission, structure, and member-service model (advocacy, insurance, directory, continuing education, publications) but operating at a national rather than provincial scale.
• Massage Therapists' Association of British Columbia (MTABC): Provincial massage therapy association in British Columbia representing Registered Massage Therapists. Closest geographic and structural peer to RMTAO as a fellow CMTA member-province association serving a regulated RMT workforce with comparable advocacy, education, and member-benefit programs.

Broad incumbents

• Ontario Physiotherapy Association (OPA): Provincial professional association for physiotherapists in Ontario, an analogous regulated health-profession association model. Comparable on governance, member-services structure, and government advocacy mechanics, with broader healthcare-system reach but different scope of practice.
• Ontario Chiropractic Association (OCA): Provincial association representing Ontario chiropractors. Similar in operating model (regulated health professionals, member dues, continuing education, advocacy, insurance relationships) and in its position within the CORHPA coalition alongside RMTAO, but serving a different (and overlapping) manual therapy scope.

Others

• College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO): Ontario's regulatory body (not a competing association) that licenses all RMTs practicing in the province. CMTO and RMTAO serve overlapping member/registrant populations but play complementary roles—regulation versus voluntary professional association—making CMTO the most operationally adjacent non-peer entity.
• Canadian Massage Therapist Alliance (CMTA): National alliance of 9 provincial and 2 territorial massage therapy associations, of which RMTAO is a member. Comparable as an umbrella body but not a competitor—RMTAO contributes to CMTA's joint advocacy and benefits while CMTA represents the national coalition RMTAO helps lead.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RMTAO
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/registered-massage-therapists'-association-of-ontario

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Registered Massage Therapists' Association of Ontario