Question 1

What is the Manitoba electrology moratorium?

Accepted Answer

In 2019, Apprenticeship Manitoba placed a moratorium — a regulatory hold — on the electrology trade. This effectively closed the pathway for anyone new to register as an apprentice, apply for trade qualification, or enter the profession in Manitoba. No public review outcome or timeline has been shared since.

Question 2

Why was the electrology moratorium put in place?

Accepted Answer

It appears to have been connected to low enrolment and a trade review. However, the critical issue is that the moratorium has remained in place for years without a clear public pathway or timeline. No review outcome has been shared with the public or the industry, and no plan for reopening the trade has been communicated.

Question 3

What does "Open the Pathway Manitoba" mean?

Accepted Answer

It means creating a fair, safe, supervised route for new electrologists to train, qualify, and practise in Manitoba. This pathway would allow qualified individuals to enter the profession through regulated mechanisms while maintaining public protection and professional standards.

Question 4

What happens if no new electrologists are allowed to enter the trade?

Accepted Answer

The workforce continues to shrink, wait times increase, businesses may close, and Manitobans lose access to a regulated service. Rural and northern communities are particularly affected, and people relying on electrolysis for medical or personal reasons face diminishing options.

Question 5

Why does Manitoba need more electrologists?

Accepted Answer

Electrology is the only method of permanent hair removal recognized by Health Canada. It is used by people with hormonal conditions like PCOS, by trans and gender-diverse individuals seeking gender-affirming care, and by anyone seeking permanent hair removal. Manitoba's electrologist workforce is aging, and without new practitioners entering the trade, wait times grow and access decreases — especially in rural and northern communities.

Question 6

Why should Manitobans care if laser hair removal is available?

Accepted Answer

Laser hair removal and electrology are not the same service. Laser can be a helpful option for reducing hair growth, but it is not considered permanent hair removal in the same way electrology is. Laser works best on certain hair and skin combinations, especially darker hair, and may not be effective for light, grey, red, blonde, or fine hairs.

Electrology treats individual hair follicles and is widely recognized as a permanent hair removal method. It can be used on a broader range of hair colours and skin types, including cases where laser is not appropriate or has not worked.

This matters because Manitobans should have access to the full range of safe, regulated hair removal options. If electrology access continues to shrink, clients may be left without a suitable permanent option, especially those with hormonal hair growth, PCOS, menopause-related hair growth, or gender-affirming needs.

Question 7

How does the moratorium affect business succession?

Accepted Answer

Retiring electrologists who want to sell or transfer their businesses cannot find qualified buyers or trained successors. The moratorium creates no pathway for someone to train under a retiring practitioner, purchase the business, or continue serving clients. This means decades of established practices and client relationships may simply end when an electrologist retires.

Question 8

Can an existing electrology business be sold in Manitoba right now?

Accepted Answer

A business may be sold, but if the buyer cannot become certified or registered due to the moratorium, the service may not be able to continue long-term. This creates a serious problem: business owners who have invested decades in building their practices cannot find qualified buyers or successors, potentially forcing them to close instead of transition their business.

Question 9

Why does business succession matter?

Accepted Answer

Without new certified electrologists, existing businesses may close instead of being passed on, reducing services, jobs, and local business activity. When a retiring electrologist cannot find a qualified successor or buyer, their clients lose access to a trusted provider, the community loses a regulated service, and a small business that may have operated for decades simply disappears.

Question 10

What specific changes are being requested?

Accepted Answer

This campaign requests: (1) Lifting or revising the moratorium; (2) Allowing approved out-of-province training to count toward Manitoba certification; (3) Allowing supervised practice under a certified electrologist; (4) Creating a temporary or conditional permit pathway; (5) Creating a business succession pathway; (6) Reopening trade qualification applications or creating an exam/challenge pathway; (7) Providing a public timeline for the trade review.

Question 11

Can someone train out of province and return to Manitoba?

Accepted Answer

Currently, there is no clear pathway for recognizing out-of-province electrology training in Manitoba. The moratorium blocks trade qualification applications, meaning someone who trained elsewhere and wishes to become certified in Manitoba has no official route to do so. This campaign asks that out-of-province training be reviewed and recognized through a fair, supervised process.

Question 12

Why should out-of-province training be recognized?

Accepted Answer

If Manitoba does not currently offer a workable training route, qualified training from other provinces should be reviewed so Manitobans are not blocked from entering the trade. This is a practical solution that maintains standards while opening the pathway for qualified practitioners to serve the province.

Question 13

Why is supervised practice a reasonable solution?

Accepted Answer

Supervised practice is a standard model in trades and health professions. It allows a trainee to work under the direct oversight of a certified, experienced practitioner while completing their learning. This protects the public, maintains quality, and allows qualified people to enter the workforce. Many provinces use this model effectively for electrology and other trades.

Question 14

Why is it necessary to involve government decision-makers beyond Apprenticeship Manitoba?

Accepted Answer

Apprenticeship Manitoba is responsible for administering apprenticeship and certification programs, but a moratorium of this nature may require direction, review, or approval at a higher government level. If the current freeze prevents new electrologists from training, registering, or being recognized from out of province, the issue becomes larger than day-to-day administration.

This is why the responsible minister and other government decision-makers should be involved. The moratorium affects workforce development, small business succession, access to regulated services, and health-related care for Manitobans. A clear path forward may require ministerial review, policy direction, or changes to how the trade is being managed.

Question 15

How can I help?

Accepted Answer

You can email the Minister of Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation (minbmtjc@manitoba.ca), contact your MLA, email the Apprenticeship and Certification Board (apprenticeship@gov.mb.ca), submit a letter of support, or share this website with others. Visit the Take Action page for step-by-step guidance and letter templates.

Question 16

Why should the Minister of Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation be involved?

Accepted Answer

The Honourable Jamie Moses is the minister responsible for Apprenticeship Manitoba, which oversees apprenticeship and certification pathways in the province. The electrology moratorium directly affects training access, certification, business succession, and the ability for new practitioners to enter the trade. This makes it an economic development, workforce, and small business issue — not just a regulatory concern.

Manitobans can contact the Minister of Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation to request a review of the electrology moratorium and a clear path forward for training, supervised practice, and out-of-province certification recognition.
Email: minbmtjc@manitoba.ca
Phone: 204-945-0067

Question 17

Why should the Minister of Health, Minister Uzoma Asagwara, be involved?

Accepted Answer

The electrology moratorium is not only a business and training issue — it also affects access to health-related services in Manitoba. Electrolysis is relied on by women experiencing menopause-related hair growth, people with PCOS, and trans and gender-diverse Manitobans who may need permanent hair removal as part of their care. Because the Minister of Health oversees health services in Manitoba, this issue deserves attention as part of access to care, public health equity, and patient support.

Manitobans can contact the Minister of Health's office at minhsltc@manitoba.ca or 204-945-3731.

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