Updated regulations focus on standardizing infection-control practices
Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) has approved new regulations for personal services that will standardise health and safety requirements for hair, nail, esthetic and tattoo businesses across the province.
The regulations – which took effect Feb. 1 – move the sector from voluntary guidelines to formal oversight under the Chief Public Health Office (CPHO), with a focus on consistent infection prevention and control in all personal service settings.
For HR professionals, this marks a shift from discretionary best practice to enforceable standards that will need to be reflected in workplace policies, training and supervision.
Scope of businesses covered
The new rules apply to any business that provides a service on a person’s body or for their personal care. Examples listed by the province include:
- body piercing
- hair services
- manicures
- massages
- pedicures
- tattooing
- non‑dental teeth whitening
- waxing
The updated regulations will standardise infection‑control practices such as equipment sterilisation and record‑keeping, measures the province notes are already in place in many local businesses. However, the CPHO identified a need for consistent, enforceable standards to ensure the same level of protection for clients regardless of where they receive services.
“Our goal is to support the industry in providing the safest experience possible,” Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison says. “By establishing clear regulations, we are ensuring that the personal services sector in P.E.I. remains a safe and trusted environment for everyone.”
Implications for HR
For HR leaders, the emphasis on documentation and procedures will require clear protocols, staff education and ongoing monitoring to demonstrate compliance during inspections or in the event of a complaint.
Monica Ramsay, store manager at Magicuts in Charlottetown and a hair instructor at the Private Institute of Hair and Design Aesthetics, welcomes the development.
“I think for the consumer, they’re going to feel more protected knowing that if they go in for a personal service that the establishment … is going to be regulated and going to be clean,” she tells CBC.
A recent auditor general’s report into Health P.E.I. found that managers received thousands of dollars in payments that did not meet policy requirements, and that rules governing job reclassification were not followed.
Registration and inspections
To operate legally under the new framework, all personal service businesses in P.E.I. will be required to register for the Personal Services Program as of Feb. 1, 2026. Registration must be renewed every three years.
As part of the registration process, Environmental Health Officers will carry out routine inspections to verify that infection prevention and control measures are being followed, according to the provincial government. This gives HR departments a defined compliance cycle to plan for, including record‑keeping, corrective actions and communication with regulators.
The CPHO developed the regulations following consultation with stakeholders and the public. Feedback from those consultations showed broad support for a clear, uniform set of standards intended to make sure every client receives the same high level of care across the province.
Dr. Morrison says the implementation period will focus on collaboration between public health officials and operators.
“The coming months will be about conversation and preparation,” she says. “Our environmental health team is committed to working alongside shop owners and technicians to provide the information and education necessary for a smooth transition. This is about building on the great work already being done in the community.”
