'Big mistake' pushing massage parlours into industrial lands: Heritage Community Association - Regina Leader-Post

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"The Heritage Community Association asked the City to prioritize the perspectives of those most affected by these changes — parlour workers and owners. Council did not do that."

Regina city council made a "big mistake" by not listening to the voices of workers and pushing massage parlours onto industrial lands, says the Heritage Community Association. Michael Bell / Regina Leader-Post


Regina city council made a “big mistake” by not listening to the voices of workers and pushing massage parlours onto industrial lands, says the Heritage Community Association (HCA).

“Throughout this conversation, the Heritage Community Association asked the City to prioritize the perspectives of those most affected by these changes — parlour workers and owners. Council did not do that,” said HCA executive director Shayna Stock in an emailed statement Thursday afternoon.

Stock has spoken to council on several occasions, voicing concerns over how a ban, or even restricting parlours to industrial lands, may only serve to increase the stigma faced by sex workers and put their safety at risk.

At a meeting on Wednesday, city councillors voted to further restrict the presence of massage parlours — known formally as body rub establishments — in the city through an amendment to the zoning bylaw which was approved in December.

In December, council approved a separation distance of one block (182 metres) from schools, parks, daycares, enclosed rinks, libraries, community centres, “sensitive” lots (giving rise to specific concerns) and other massage parlours.

A ‘grandfathering’ provision for existing parlours that do not meet the separation distance from other existing parlours, but are otherwise regulatory compliant, was also approved.

On Wednesday, council voted to amend the bylaw to remove the grandfathering provision and add residences, places of worship and recreation facilities to the list of places to which the separation distance applies.

“We finally finished a major portion of the our discussions,” said Mayor Michael Fougere after the meeting. “We’ve been over this for many, many months and again the motion at council was really a compromise between some different perspectives.”

But it didn’t come without a fight to restrict the presence of massage parlours in Regina as much as possible. Based on a report from administration that considered several options for separation distances, Ward 7 Coun. Sharron Bryce made a motion to expand the distance to two blocks — which further reduces the area in which a parlour can set up shop — along with removing the grandfathering provision.

This map, developed by City of Regina administration, shows the areas of the city that a massage parlour could operate in if a 365 metre separation distance from schools, parks, daycares, enclosed rinks, libraries,community centres, sensitive lots, residences, places of worship, recreation facilities and other parlours was enforced (Coun. Sharron Bryce’s motion).

This map, developed by City of Regina administration shows the areas of the city that a massage parlour could operate in if a 182 metre separation distance from schools, parks, daycares, enclosed rinks, libraries, community centres, sensitive lots and other parlours was enforced. It is less restrictive than was city council eventually approved, which added places of worship, recreation facilities and residences to the list of places the separation distance applies to (administration’s recommended option).

This map, developed by City of Regina administration, shows the areas of the city that a massage parlour could operate in if a 182 metre separation distance from schools, parks, daycares, enclosed rinks, libraries, community centres, sensitive lots, residences, places of worship, recreation facilities and other parlours was enforced (the approved option).


According to Fougere, there is only one existing parlour to which the grandfathering provision may have applied.

“This is getting back to a ban,” said Ward 1 Coun. Barbara Young. “We did not vote for a ban.”

Young argued the industry is best kept where we can see it to better ensure the safety of the workers. Ward 3 Coun. Andrew Stevens agreed.

The policy direction (based on extensive research by city administration) was not meant to “shield people from sin,” he said, but to balance the safety of workers with that of residents.

The motion failed due to a tie — with councillors Sharron Bryce, Bob Hawkins, Lori Bresciani, John Findura and Mayor Fougere voting yes and councillors Jason Mancinelli, Joel Murray, Andrew Stevens, Jerry Flegel and Barbara Young voting no — and the compromise, moved by Hawkins, was approved.

For some, it was too much of a compromise.

“Pushing these businesses out of their current locations, and into industrial areas or underground, might make a few residents happy, but it will significantly increase the risk of violence and harm to people working in parlours,” said Stock in her statement.

On Wednesday, council also approved an expansion of the University of Regina’s U-Pass program to include the spring and summer semesters, as was the Yards Neighbourhood Plan, which sets the policy direction for development in the former CP railyard.

jackerman@postmedia.com

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