City council to vote on tougher rules, licences for massage parlours - Regina Leader-Post

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“We need to protect the workers,” said Bresciani.

Ward 3 Coun. Andrew Stevens said he felt this was counter-productive.

“Ultimately it’s focused on harm reduction,” he said, which he feels might be more difficult now that the industry is being pushed to industrial zones in Regina.

Regarding the licensing of workers, Stevens said sex workers and advocates advise against such a move.

“Criminalization is a time tested failure, said Stevens. “This system has a track record of failure.”

Under the proposed rules, patrons must provide ID proving they are at least 18 years of age or older and must not appear to be intoxicated.

Two workers must be in the establishment at all times, and the shops must be closed between 2 a.m. and 10 p.m. Workers will also be given education courses on harm education and how to exit the sex trade and in-person criminal record checks will be required.

Administration said if the owners do not comply they will lose their license.

Stevens asked about Naloxone kits, a part of harm reduction training, and if they would be translated for workers.

Byron Werry, city solicitor, said the kits present would have instructions available in various languages, on account of the demographic makeup of those working in massage parlours.

Bresciani also brought up the issue of crime, and the possibility that harsher regulations would be required to stamp it out.

“We are alive to this issue,” said Werry.

“We do acknowledge that if there is a business that oversteps the bounds, there is ability for us to revoke the licence.”

Werry said the police would have the authority to revoke a licence at any time if terms of the bylaw have been breached.

Coun. Bob Hawkins (Ward 2) also brought forward two successful amendments to increase the licensing fee for owners and operators to $1,200 and to make first time offences for operators $2,000.

If the council votes in favour of these changes, they are set to come into effect Jan. 1, 2021.

alsalloum@postmedia.com