The College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia (CMTBC) is a professional regulatory body that exercises authority delegated by the provincial government through BC’s Health Professions Act. As mandated by the Act, CMTBC regulates the profession of massage therapy in the public interest to ensure that registered massage therapists (RMTs) in BC deliver safe, ethical, and effective treatment.

CMTBC’s regulatory responsibilities include the following:

• Setting entry-to-practice requirements, and administering entry into the profession
• Annually renewing registration for RMTs
• Ensuring that RMTs maintain high professional standards
• Administering a public complaints and professional discipline process

CMTBC is governed by a Board made up of both RMTs and government-appointed public representatives. There are also seven committees that support CMTBC’s mandate in specific areas.

CMTBC is a member of the BC Health Regulators, a group made up of the 20 regulatory colleges constituted under the Health Professions Act. These colleges meet regularly to share information and work on the development of common practices and standards, with a view to enhancing patient safety and public protection in BC.

Not all provinces in Canada have instituted statutory regulation of massage therapy.  CMTBC coordinates with its fellow massage therapy regulators in Ontario, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland by means of the Federation of Massage Therapy Regulatory Authorities of Canada (FOMTRAC), which provides a platform for discussion of regulatory issues on a national level.