Panel votes to restrict massage parlour sites

Regina’s Priorities and Planning committee voted Wednesday to restrict massage parlours as a discretionary use to industrial areas.

“People are really trying to advance their opposition in its entirety to licensing and that was their way of doing it,” said Ward 3 Coun. Andrew Stevens, who voted against the amendment introduced by Ward 1 Coun. Barbara Young.

Stevens says the decision “defies” policy objectives which aim to balance the safety of workers as well as the communities where they work and live.

“We were cautioned against it,” he said, because of the increased risk it might pose to women in the sex trade working in an area with less traffic, less light and fewer eyes.

But if one message came through loud and clear at Wednesday’s meeting, it’s that there are a lot of people, residents and councillors included, who don’t want to see massage parlours anywhere near residential areas.

Ward 4 Coun. Lori Bresciani, who has been outspoken about her stance against regulation and licensing of the industry, spoke up in support of Coun. Young’s amendment, which ultimately passed with a majority vote.

Longtime advocates for banning the industry such as Ed Smith — whose 18-year-old daughter was found murdered in Victoria, B.C. in 1990 after being recruited into the sex trade — and Devon Hill with the anti-human trafficking group Freedom Catalyst Regina, also voiced strong opposition to massage parlours near residential areas during the meeting.

Mayor Michael Fougere, who initially supported a ban, reluctantly voted in favour of Young’s amendment because it at least restricted them to industrial lands.

“We want to make sure we do the right thing and we have the least impact on residents as possible,” said Fougere on the committee’s decision to make massage parlours a discretionary use, instead of permitted.

Discretionary use means any application to operate a parlour in an industrial zone will go through the committee and city council for approval. It’s a way to ensure they don’t end up near a gym or other recreational facility that may have children coming and going but are also permitted in industrial zones.

The amendment was made to a report presented by administration to the committee that outlined zoning bylaw changes needed to facilitate massage parlour regulation.

It strays from administration’s recommendation to allow massage parlours in what are currently called MAC zones but will be called Mixed High-rise (MH) zones in the new zoning bylaw, as well as Industrial Light (IL) and Industrial Heavy (IH) zones.

The amendment requires administration to report back in one year on any impacts of the change, but only if it also gets approved by city council on Dec. 16. Amendments could still be made to the report, undoing what has been done at the committee level.

Currently, there are only two of the approximately 19 known massage parlours in industrial zones.

The majority of parlours operate in what is currently known as a Major Arterial Commercial (MAC) zone, which allows for retail, service and office developments along major arterial roadways, but is often near residential areas like along Victoria Avenue.

When asked what will happen to the parlours operating outside industrial zones when the new bylaw comes into play, Fougere said he couldn’t speculate on specifics, but that the city, along with the Regina Police Service, will look at every establishment to see if they are in violation of the bylaw.

“Once we know that, we will have enforcement that will take place,” he said.

The committee made one other amendment to the report, opting to label massage parlours as “body rub parlours” instead of “Service Trade, Adult” in the zoning bylaw to avoid confusion.

The rest of the report was approved as is by the committee, which will result in a one-block separation distance from schools, parks, daycare centres, enclosed rinks, public libraries, public community centres and other massage parlours, instead of just schools, churches, daycares and other massage parlours if also approved by city council.

A separate report outlining a proposed licensing framework is expected at a later date, administration said.