Nordik Spa Village in Chelsea, Que., has introduced new safety measures for its massage therapy services amid a class-action lawsuit involving allegations of sexual assault against multiple massage therapists.
The legal action was initially filed by one woman in December 2024. Earlier this month, a Quebec judge authorized the case to proceed, with close to 150 class members now involved.
One of the plaintiffs behind the class action said the changes are welcome, but come too late. “It’s good that they are taking measures. Is it enough? No,” she told Global News on Wednesday.
Under the new measures, massage therapists must receive training on consent and the prevention of sexual violence and remain in good standing with a recognized professional association.
Guests will be asked to provide consent before sensitive areas are massaged, including the buttocks, upper inner thighs and pectoral area. Therapists must also obtain explicit verbal consent again before massaging those areas and conduct at least two verbal check-ins during each session about pressure, temperature and overall comfort.
An electronic health form will allow guests to indicate whether they consent to having sensitive areas massaged.
The spa says audio systems are also being used in massage treatment rooms with the guest’s prior consent. The company says recordings will not be routinely reviewed but may be accessed when a complaint is filed.
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“The difference really lies in consent training, (introducing) the audio recording, and mystery guests” Groupe Nordik chief operating officer Alexandre Cantin told Global News.
The company says security personnel will be present at all times on a floor dedicated to massage therapy services and that a mystery guest program has been implemented as part of its prevention and safety measures.
Nordik says criminal background checks are conducted when massage therapists are first contracted and during each annual contract renewal.
The measures follow sexual assault allegations involving 36 massage therapists over two decades.
Cantin said the spa has a zero-tolerance policy regarding allegations of a sexual nature.
“What that means is whenever someone has a complaint, it is completely terminated for the massage therapist.”
The company’s published measures also say it maintains a record of complaints, provides information and support to guests who want to report an incident to authorities and has overhauled its service agreements with massage therapists.
In a public statement, Groupe Nordik founder Martin Paquette said he was deeply shaken and angry by the allegations.
The company is also calling for tighter regulation of Quebec’s massage therapy industry, saying the status quo is no longer acceptable.
The industry is also pushing for regulatory changes.
Maroine Bendaoud, president of the Quebec Massotherapists Federation, said about a dozen associations operate in the province.
“They all have their different approaches and lists (of members), and many of those lists are not necessarily public,” Bendaoud said.
Six major associations representing 95 per cent of the industry are calling for changes, including legislation that would protect the title of massage therapist.
“We want to professionalize the discipline, so we are aiming to protect the title of massage therapists with a bill passed at the legislative assembly,” Bendaoud said.
The proposed law would require minimum training, criminal background checks, liability insurance and continuing education.
Bendaoud said the groups also want a single, publicly accessible list that people and employers could use to determine whether someone is qualified to use the massage therapist title.
“We want to have one common list that is accessible on one website so the public and the employers can verify if this person is qualified to hold the title,” he said.
The proposed legislation would not stop unlicensed individuals from offering massages under different titles, but supporters say it would make the industry more accountable and better protect clients.
For the plaintiff, however, the changes do not erase what she says happened before they were introduced.
“(Does it come) when I needed it? No. And was it when 143 other women needed it? No,” she said. “They knew it was going on and they brushed it under the rug. So it’s a little too late.”
Support is available for people who have been sexually assaulted or abused. You can access crisis lines and local support services. Visit the Department of Justice’s Victim Services Directory for a list of resources in your area.
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