City sets out regulations for body rub establishments

The City of Regina is proposing a new regulatory framework for body rub establishments in the city.

The framework sets out four recommendations that will be considered by the city’s executive committee on June 12 before going to city council on June 24.

According to a media release, the priorities of the framework involve “ensuring the health and safety of workers, and protecting the character and integrity of the City’s neighbourhoods.”

The recommendations set out in the regulations are:

• To change definitions in the city’s zoning bylaws to distinguish between massage parlours and therapeutic massage by adding the term “body rub establishments”;
• To allow body rub establishments on a discretionary basis in industrial zones and allow them on a discretionary basis in major arterial commercial areas;
• Set a separation distance of one block between body rub establishments and schools, churches, daycares and other body rub establishments; and,
• Develop a licensing program for establishments to monitor hours of operation, health and safety standards, worker training and support.

“Our opportunities to assist some of these vulnerable folks who work in the sector increases dramatically from our perspective (thanks to the framework),” Regina Police Service Supt. Corey Zaharuk said during a media conference Wednesday at City Hall.

In December, city council asked administration to research the industry in the city to see if changes were necessary.

An online registry was set up to identify people who wanted to discuss the idea, and 274 people signed up. Three public workshops were held in March, with 50 people attending each session. Forty-six residents offered written submissions and four had private interviews.

The majority of respondents wanted massage parlours banned in hopes of reducing the victimization of women. According to the city, the participants agreed that a ban “was unlikely to have a positive impact on safety of workers in the industry.”

The goal is that the framework will help in that manner.

“This proposed regulatory framework serves great value in our community to help us learn more about sexual exploitation and human trafficking in our community,” Zaharuk said. “It’s an added, positive benefit from the police perspective.”

City officials also met with owners of body rub establishments and their workers to get their feedback, and looked at the best practices of other municipalities.