Regina city council makes final vote to restrict massage parlours to industrial zones only - Regina Leader-Post

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"I think this is the view of council overall, not necessarily a unanimous agreement on this one."

A slow shutter speed was used to capture the lights of the Oriental Spa on the 1800 block Broad Street in Regina. Adult massage parlours, also known as body rub parlours. are under review in Regina. TROY FLEECE / Regina Leader-Post


It’s official — Regina city council has voted to restrict massage parlours as a permitted use in industrial zones only, a decision not made quickly or easily.

“I think this is the view of council overall, not necessarily a unanimous agreement on this one, … that residents do not want to have body rub parlours on MAC (major arterial commercial) zones that could be very close to residential (areas) and to schools,” said Mayor Michael Fougere after this week’s council meeting.

The decision followed more than two hours of debate about last month’s recommendations from the priorities and planning committee.

Comprised of all city council members, the committee agreed to restrict what the new bylaw refers to as body rub establishments to industrial light (IL) and industrial heavy (IH) zones only as a discretionary use. It went against administration’s original recommendation to allow them in industrial zones as a permitted use and MAC zones as a discretionary use.

Regina Mayor Michael Fougere listens during a City Council budget meeting. BRANDON HARDER / Regina Leader-Post


During Monday’s meeting, an amendment was made to the committee recommendation to change the use from discretionary to permitted, meaning as long as the establishment meets the criteria laid out by the bylaw, it can get a permit without having to get approval from city council.

A second amendment, to also allow them in MAC zones as a discretionary use as originally proposed, was defeated. Put forward by Ward 3 Coun. Andrew Stevens, he felt the amendment balanced community safety with that of the workers in the industry and was more in line with administration and city council’s objective.

“The RPS (Regina Police Service) has made clear that the eyes on the street and actually having these establishments in those zones, balances both of these interests,” said Stevens during the debate.

City Councillor Andrew Stevens listens in during a City Council meeting at Regina City Hall in Regina, Saskatchewan on Dec. 12, 2019. BRANDON HARDER / Regina Leader-Post


But other councillors expressed frustration over having the same debate that has already consumed many hours at committee and council meetings.

“I think it’s important that we not continually go over recommendations and approvals (made) previously,” said Fougere. “The view of council is no, it stays in industrial and let’s move on.”

Administration has been directed to report back within one year on any impacts of the change. It will also return with a report in the first quarter of 2020 outlining the impacts of increasing the separation distance between massage parlours and facilities such as recreational gathering spaces (gyms) and churches from one city block to two city blocks, a suggested amendment made by Ward 4 Coun. Lori Bresciani.

Some councillors worried the restriction would effectively be a ban and wanted to see a map of the industrial areas and where the two-block separation distance would apply before making a decision.

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