Lawsuit involves at least 36 massage therapists and spans nearly two decades of alleged incidents
A Quebec Superior Court judge has authorized a class-action lawsuit alleging a longstanding pattern of sexual assault during massages at Nordik Spa Village in Chelsea, Que., a popular spa just north of Ottawa and Gatineau.
Justice Enrico Forlini authorized the case in a ruling on Oct. 2. The Montreal Gazette reports the authorization allows alleged victims to seek compensatory and punitive damages, and that the class covers anyone who was sexually assaulted during a massage at the spa since Oct. 2, 2001.
According to an amended court filing seen by the Gazette, 143 people contacted the plaintiffs’ lawyers, Montreal firm Lambert Avocats, between August 2025 and July 2026 to report they had been assaulted by massage therapists at the spa. The allegations involve at least 36 massage therapists and span the years 2007 to 2026.
The claims have not been tested in court, CBC News noted.
Spa cites safety, well-being of guests
In a statement to CBC News, Isabelle Mathieu, general manager of Nordik Spa Village, said the certification of the class action is not a judgment and that the spa plans to defend itself. She said the spa has taken all necessary measures to provide a respectful, safe and trustworthy environment.
“The safety and well-being of our guests, employees and professionals remain our highest priority,” Mathieu wrote. She said the spa could not comment further because of the ongoing legal proceedings.
Nordik did not oppose authorization of the class action, the Gazette reports, but asked that the case be heard in Gatineau rather than Montreal, where it was originally filed. The judge agreed.
In June, an Ontario human resources manager who sexually assaulted two of his employees multiple times was headed to the sex offender registry after an appeal court recently reversed a sentencing judge's decision to spare him from registration.
'Institutional negligence'?
The lawsuit alleges the spa failed to adequately prevent sexual assault and misconduct by its massage therapists, describing the problem as systemic rather than a series of isolated incidents, Global News reports.
“This is a matter of institutional negligence,” Philippe Brault, a lawyer with Lambert Avocats, told CBC News. He said spas have a responsibility to keep clients safe and to take proper measures when they learn of such situations.
Brault told Global News he expects more people to come forward following media coverage of the authorization. He said that many of the allegations share common elements, including voyeurism and inappropriate touching during massage treatments. Brault said the plaintiffs are seeking compensation for victims, punitive damages intended to deter similar conduct, and an acknowledgment of responsibility from the spa.
According to the lawsuit, some clients who complained to the spa were offered gift cards, and the Gazette reports the therapists they accused were not dismissed.
In January 2026, a Canada Post employee who served as a shop steward at a Prince George, B.C. depot was found guilty of sexually assaulting a co-worker, following a B.C. Supreme Court trial that examined years of workplace tension, crude joking and formal grievances.
First sexual assault alleged
The lawsuit was brought by a woman identified only by the initials A.B., the Gazette reports. She alleges a male massage therapist sexually assaulted her during a $152 massage in December 2024. She filed the lawsuit in August 2025 and later reported the incident to police, according to Global News.
According to court documents described by Global News, the filing alleges the therapist did not explain which parts of her body would be treated, did not offer her the option of remaining partially clothed, did not ease the pressure despite being asked three times, made inappropriate physical contact, and placed a towel over her face that blocked her view. She alleges she froze in shock and was unable to react.
She alleges the spa neither apologized nor followed up after she reported the incident, the Gazette reports, and the spa maintained that the therapist was an independent contractor rather than an employee, according to correspondence described in the filing. CBC News reported the same allegations from the court documents.
“It’s disturbing, it’s disgusting,” she told CBC News of the number of complaints that have emerged since the case began. She told CBC she sees herself as representing the other women and wants people to know this is happening so that clients are protected.
Previous convictions cited
CBC News says the suit argues the spa should have improved how it vetted and trained massage therapists, and should have better informed clients about what to expect and how to report discomfort.
The application argues the spa would have been aware of earlier allegations before 2024, including cases that ended up in criminal court.
The Gazette reports the filing cites two convictions. In 2021, massage therapist Maxime Bédard was sentenced to six months in prison for sexually assaulting two clients at the spa. In January 2026, another therapist, Adam Leroux, was convicted of sexually assaulting a customer there.
Brault told Global News the case has renewed discussion about creating a professional order for massage therapists in Quebec, with public attention fuelling calls for stricter oversight of the profession.
