Quebec Nordik Spa Adds Safeguards Amid 150-Member Assault Lawsuit

Sourced from 3 news outlets · most facts from statements · 1 point in dispute. How we sourced this

Nordik Spa Village in Chelsea, Que., has introduced new safeguards for massage therapy services as it faces a class-action lawsuit alleging sexual assault by massage therapists.

Key facts

• The class action alleges sexual assault involving 36 massage therapists over a 19-year period.
• A Quebec judge authorized the case to proceed as a class action earlier this month, with close to 150 class members.
• Nordik says massage services will be provided on a dedicated floor with security personnel present at all times.
• Groupe Nordik founder Martin Paquette said Quebec needs stronger government regulation of the massage therapy industry.

Read the original document: Government of Canada, linked by Global News.

A Quebec judge authorized the case to proceed as a class action earlier this month, with close to 150 class members. The action alleges sexual assault involving 36 massage therapists over a 19-year period.

Plaintiff Says Changes Come Late

One plaintiff told Global News the measures are welcome, but insufficient in light of the allegations.

“It’s good that they are taking measures. Is it enough? No,” she said.

Groupe Nordik founder Martin Paquette said he was “deeply shaken” and angry by the allegations. “No one should ever have to go through something like that in a place dedicated to well-being,” he said in a public statement.

Consent Training and Screening

Nordik says its massage therapists will receive training on consent and the prevention of sexual violence. They must also remain in good standing with a recognized professional association.

The company says therapists will undergo criminal background checks.

For treatments involving sensitive areas, clients will be asked for electronic consent covering the buttocks, upper inner thighs and pectoral area. Nordik says additional consent will be required before those areas are massaged.

Dedicated Floor With Security

Massage services will be delivered on a dedicated floor, where security personnel will be present at all times, Nordik says.

Treatment rooms will also use an audio system that can record a session with the client’s consent. The company has described the recording option as a measure intended to help protect guests.

Global News reported that Nordik says it has a zero-tolerance policy under which a massage therapist is terminated when there is a complaint of a sexual nature.

Calls for Industry Oversight

Paquette has also used the announcement to call for stronger government regulation of Quebec’s massage therapy industry.

“The lack of regulation in Quebec’s massage therapy industry is a serious issue,” Paquette said. “We can no longer accept the status quo.”

He said Quebec needs stronger oversight and mechanisms that protect the public, whether through a professional order or a self-regulatory body.

How outlets covered it

• Global News (Corus Entertainment) — “Nordik Spa adds safety measures amid class action over sexual assault allegations - Montreal”, Oct. 28, 2026. By Alessia Simona Maratta and Elizabeth Zogalis. Quoted a plaintiff in the class action; Groupe Nordik chief operating officer Alexandre Cantin; Quebec Massotherapists Federation president Maroine Bendaoud.
• CTV News (Ted Raymond) and CBC News reported the same facts and quoted only Groupe Nordik founder Martin Paquette, with nothing the others lacked.

How we sourced this story

How we put this together: we compare reporting from the outlets above, draft with the help of AI tools, and an editor checks every story before it's published. Our methodology.