The City of Regina and Regina Police Service hope a new framework can be established regarding set regulations for body rub establishments in the city.

The regulatory framework was presented at a meeting Wednesday morning from Regina City Hall. The group who gave the presentation and took questions from the media consisted of Superintendent Corey Zaharuk of Regina Police, Regina Executive Director for City Planning and Community Development Diana Hawryluk, and City Public Engagement Strategist Leah Goodwin.

The recommendations for the framework are as follows:

• Amend definitions in the zoning bylaw to distinguish between massage parlours and therapeutic massage using the term “body rub establishments”.
• Continue to allow these establishments to run as a discretionary use in industrial zones and add it as a discretionary use in major arterial commercial zones.
• Apply a one block separation distance similar to those applied regarding cannabis retail outlets (one block from schools, churches, daycares and other body rub establishments).
• Develop a licensing program to allow for additional regulation on hours of operation, health and safety standards, worker training and support.

Results and feedback for the proposed regulations will be taken to the city’s executive committee on June 12th and will then be presented to city council for consideration on June 24th.

Back in December 2018, city council completed community engagement and research to help regulate the massage parlour industry in Regina. 274 people registered for the online registry when city administration began garnering interest for public feedback on the issue.

Three workshops were held in March 2019 with approximately 50 of the registrants in attendance for each one. 46 residents provided written submissions while four were given private interviews following their requests.

City administration, with the help of Regina Police and the Regina Sexual Assault Centre, also reached out to members of the sector along with municipalities, academic and industry experts.

Key findings included the safety of women in the sector, minor support for licensing or regulations, and the operators not being opposed to said regulations if they were to be brought into effect.