Where Can I Receive Therapeutic Massage in Toronto?
In Toronto and province of Ontario, therapeutic massage is offered in professional massage clinics, rehabilitation centers, fitness clubs, doctor’s offices, wellness clinics, and physiotherapy clinics. These licensed services are suitable for assessing issues and offering specific courses of action towards your health goals. Therapeutic massage can be offered as part of a medical treatment plan or as a stand-alone option based on your requirements, whereby many therapists maintain clinics in their own homes.
Hotels, Spas and Hair Salons also offer massage therapy, though mainly for the purpose of relaxation and pampering. Massages such as Relaxation and Aromatherapy are primarily aimed at reducing tension and making you feel good, rather than healing specific injuries, however it’s possible to combine them both to suit your health related needs.
8 Tips to Help You Find Affordable Massage Therapy in Toronto (and Elsewhere!)
Are you feeling tired and stressed? Or perhaps you suffer from joint aches and back pain? Believe it or not, one of the best ways to ease your injuries and pains, as well as to relax and unwind, is getting a therapeutic massage.
Therapeutic massage offers many varied health benefits and medical studies have shown that it is an effective treatment for reducing stress, pain, and muscle tension. In order to obtain the full benefits of massage, you will most likely need more than one session, especially for the treatment of chronic health conditions.
Unfortunately, professional massage therapy doesn’t come cheap. In 2014, the fee schedule guideline set by the Registered Massage Therapists’ Association of Ontario (RMTAO) is $56 for a half hour and $89 for an hour session (plus 13% HST). Such rates are not affordable for many people, especially for those who require ongoing treatments or maintenance sessions afterwards.
Here are eight tips to find cheap massage therapy in Toronto, and elsewhere, all while improving your health:
- Try a student massage clinic
You can receive affordable massages by trained students in many massage schools in Toronto. Contact one of the massage schools listed here regarding their supervised student clinics (also referred to as teaching clinics), which are open to the public. The student massage price is usually half of the professional price.
- Check offers on Groupon or Yelp
You may be able to find great deals, offers, and coupons on websites such as Groupon or Yelp. Massage deals are widely available on these sites, and you can also read reviews on a massage clinic or spa before buying a coupon for their services. You can find many massage deals in Toronto.
- Consider the 1st massage offer by a franchise
In the United States, massage franchises have been rapidly growing in recent years. One of the largest spas, Massage Envy, has opened over 1000 locations in the U.S. These franchises offer initial massage sessions to new clients for a very attractive introductory price. Over the last few years, Canadian spa franchises with similar business models and offerings have emerged in the Toronto area. Search for new spas around your area and check to see what their prices are for new massage clients.
- Ask massage clinics about their treatment packages
Some registered massage therapy clinics or spas offer discounted packages or gift cards* for series of treatments. This deal is great if you have health conditions that require a number of treatments or want to receive treatment on a regular basis for health maintenance.
- Check your insurance benefits
Many employee benefits and extended insurance plans cover the entire cost or a portion of your massage treatment fee if the therapy is rendered by registered massage therapists. It is important that you obtain a receipt of service with your therapist’s RMT number on it. Some clinics also offer direct billing service for massage clients. In this case, you may not have to pay anything. Check out massage clinics page.
- Remember to obtain the receipt
If you are using therapeutic massage for medical reasons, the cost of massage treatment can be income tax deductible as a medical expense. Check with your accountant for your eligibility, remember to ask for your receipt before leaving, and don’t lose it.
- Tipping can add up
Many people wonder whether or not to tip massage therapists. In Ontario, registered massage therapists are regulated under the Health Practitioners Act – the same legislation that regulates physicians and dentists. Although physicians and other health care professionals never receive any tips, RMTs may or may not accept tips from their clients. Tipping for registered massage therapy often varies depending on the type of facilities providing massage therapy services. If you receive massage in spas, salons, or hotels, you are generally expected to pay tips to the therapist. On the other hand, tipping is not required or expected in massage clinics or medical facilities.
- Avoid massages in high end spas and luxury hotels
The standard fee of almost $100 for a one-hour massage is already quite expensive for many people; expect to pay 50 to 100% more than this if you go to some spas. Do the massage therapists in these spas merit such high prices? Although you may encounter talented and experienced therapists, it is not uncommon to be treated by fresh new graduates who were working in the student clinic for a fraction of the cost just a few months ago. Unless you enjoy viewing gorgeous walls and ceilings during the massage, these are places to avoid if your priority is receiving a high quality massage at lower cost.
Last Note
It is understandable why many consumers choose massage places based on cost. However, the most expensive massage is a massage that makes you feel uncomfortable, stressed, or, worst of all, ends up giving you more pains and problems. Keep this in mind when choosing massage facilities based on hygiene standards and therapists’ experience and qualifications, in addition to the cost of the treatment. But rest assured: you can receive affordable massage therapy in Toronto without losing any quality of service.
- In Ontario, gift cards for one specific service (for example, a gift certificate for a massage at a spa may come with an expiry date and lose its value if not used)
Experiencing the Best Toronto Has To Offer
Where can you experience the widest range of world cultures in one easy-going, friendly and totally accessible city?
It’s Toronto, Canada naturally!
Canada’s largest and most culturally diverse city is an intriguing ethnic blend. This modern and vibrant Ontario capital offers a fascinating assortment of traditions brought out in food, music, theatre arts, and festival events.
First Things First – Getting To Toronto
Whether by land, air or sea, Toronto is listed among the most accessible cities in North America. Air travel between the city and every continent is facilitated by the Toronto Pearson International Airport. On the ground, getting to and from Toronto Pearson just got a whole lot easier with the opening of Union Pearson Express on June 6, 2015. The UP Express travels between Union Station and Pearson in 25 minutes, departing every 15 minutes. The historic Union Station serves as the hub for both mid- and long-distance travel by either bus or rail linking Toronto to nearby locations such as Niagara Falls and to major cities within Canada and the USA.
How to Get around While You’re There
For an enthusiastic Torontonian’s view of their neighborhood, you can opt to sign up for a free guided ‘Toronto Greeters’ walking tour. The convenient north-south east-west grid layout of the city is incredibly walkable. Toronto’s Underground PATH is over 18 miles of walkway that winds its way through shopping, entertainment and various service centers in downtown.
It is also possible to get around the entire city by bicycle, if that means of active transportation is desirable to you. You may choose to hail any of the numerous taxi cabs, which provide efficient city-wide service on standard, metered and non-negotiable fares.
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) serves the Toronto proper and accepts cash, discounted tokens and day, week or month passes. Visitors have generally found the day passes for TTC to be quite convenient and affordable.
Culture
Toronto is truly ‘the world within a city’, having immigrants from every corner of the planet, speaking over 140 different languages. This gives the city its unique and dynamic multiculturalism, as expressed in the varied ethnic stores and restaurants to be found in such neighborhoods as Chinatown (the city actually has 6 of these), Greektown and Little India.
Cultural events and festivals fill the spring and summertime, and you can enjoy the vibrant performing arts scene filled with live theatre and music. The Cavalcade of Lights warms the colder months and is a must see event if you are visiting Toronto at that time of year. There is also a wealth of museums and galleries open year round to suit any interest or artistic palette. They provide a diverse range of exhibits, programs and special events.
Toronto is undeniably the ice hockey capital of the world – the Toronto Maple Leafs have won the Stanley Cup thirteen times. Hockey isn’t all there is, however, as the many other sporting activities include top quality baseball, football, soccer and basketball.
Many unique and eclectic bookstores can be found in Toronto for those in search of literary gems. When you’re not treasure hunting you can visit one of the many sites used in such film productions as Chicago, Good Will Hunting, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding and X-Men, to name a few.
Food
Food helps to bring out and bring together the different cultures that make up Toronto’s landscape. Culinary events fill the city’s calendar and include the Vegetarian Food Festival, Summerlicious, Winterlicious, Taste of the Danforth, Toronto Wing Festival, and the Toronto Beer Festival.
Outside of these special happenings, you can sample authentic cuisine from anywhere in the world by visiting any of the ethnic neighborhoods strewn across the city.
Whether you fancy fine dining or informal street food fare, you are sure to be tempted to taste some of the best foods you’ll ever try. Favorite dishes for locals and visitors alike include the Peameal Bacon Sandwich and the East Indian Roti – a spicy and mouthwatering curry stuffed South-Asian bread.
Shopping
Whatever your style, it can be catered to in Toronto. You may even find that the range of great fashion offerings leads you to tweaking your signature style just a bit. Toronto serves up clothes, furniture, curios and just about anything you are searching for in locations that run the gamut from luxury to thrifty. Shopping centers, designer boutiques, antique shops, thrift stores, vintage stores, wedding shops and flea markets abound.
A search for sophisticated fashion, furniture or keepsakes might lead you to high-end Bloor-Yorkville, trendy King Street or cutting-edge Queen Street. For simpler tastes, there is a plethora of choices to get affordable, attention- grabbing, one of a kind pieces that could fit right in on the hip strip.
Health And Beauty
While in Toronto allow yourself to be pampered from head to toe, inside and out. There are a host of health food stores, spas and beauty centers to be found in the city. The beauty of many of them is that they are heavily influenced by the multicultural make-up of the city (no pun intended!) You can indulge in beauty secrets of Japanese Geishas or take advantage of the latest high tech beauty device.
Why not try a relaxing or invigorating massage? How about a rejuvenating facial or all-over body treatment? While most establishments are on the pricier side, located in posh downtown hotels, there are quite a few that are easier on the pocket and deliver first rate massage service.
Torontonians love their city, even though official estimates say that over half of them were born outside of Canada. What does that mean for its visitors? You can expect to feel welcomed here and encouraged to embrace and enjoy all that this complex mix of urban and old world charm has to offer.