19°c A few clouds
25°c Chance of thundershowers
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
More review needed on massage parlours: committee
Winnipeg plans to do a more in-depth review of massage parlours amid concerns they should be labelled as body-rub or sex-trade establishments.
Council's downtown development committee asked the city administration Thursday to conduct further consultations in light of concerns of the Massage Therapy Association of Manitoba that massage parlours sell sex, not massage.
Last week, the city released an administrative report that recommended "holistic medical establishments" would not have to obtain a city licence as a massage parlour as long as owners can demonstrate their membership with a professional body that provides appropriate oversight. The term "holistic medical establishment" was a new way to approve businesses who don't want to be tagged with the sex-trade connotations of the "massage parlour."
Winnipeg decided to review its regulation process last year after the owner of Bliss Body Works, a downtown wellness centre, said he had no other choice but to label his business a massage parlour under the current licensing system.
Massage Therapy Association of Manitoba president George Fraser told members of the downtown development committee he finds the term "holistic medical establishment" problematic, and that the Winnipeg Police Service should be involved in discussions surrounding massage parlours. He said the provincial association receives several complaints regarding massage parlours every year, including a recent complaint from a woman who was propositioned for sex when she visited a downtown parlour in September.
"While the city licenses massage parlours, it has a great deal of difficulty in policing them," Fraser said. "We would call them sex-trade parlours."
Massage parlours are only permitted inside Winnipeg's downtown and employ massagists, who are different than registered massage therapists, as they have not graduated from a recognized school of massage therapy or equivalent educational program.
The City of Winnipeg regulates massage parlours by requiring them to get a licence that stipulates no one under 18 is allowed on the premises, and the parlour may not state, imply or suggest the service provided includes any form of sexual or nude entertainment.
Fraser said a recent investigation by Manitoba's physician regulatory body proves massage parlours flout these rules.
In September, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba suspended Winnipeg doctor Randy Raymond for trading OxyContin for sex with two women who worked at a massage parlour.
Other downtown developments:
Illegal parking lot: The owners of the Boyd Building have agreed to get rid of a parking lot on a vacant plot of land on Portage Avenue. In September, City of Winnipeg officials ordered the building owners, Boyd Building Inc., to remove all vehicles from the vacant property between 398 and 402 Portage Ave. City officials said failure to remove the vehicles would result in legal action. The building's owners appealed the order initially. On Thursday, city officials said the owners have withdrawn their appeal and agreed to get rid of the parking lot.
St. Charles Hotel: Council's downtown development committee laid over an appeal on the St. Charles Hotel until January. Ken Zaifman, an immigration lawyer, has been working on a plan to redevelop the property on Notre Dame Avenue as a boutique hotel since 2008. Officials have ordered him to comply with Winnipeg's vacant and derelict buildings bylaw, and Zaifman has appealed the order.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 30, 2012 A11
More Latest News
- Back to Top
- Return to Latest News
More Latest News
(1 of 50 articles for this week)
Blackhawks beat Bruins 6-5 in OT to cap crazy roller-coaster Stanley Cup game
06/19/2013 11:54 PM 0
Poll
Most Popular Latest News
- Court told driver hysterical after vehicle fatally hit highway worker
- 'Sopranos' star Gandolfini dies at 51 while vacationing in Rome
- Child in critical condition after West End crash
- Mountie hospitalized, dog euthanized after crash near Saskatoon
- Sobey clan to alter city market
- New crowd plan for Taylor Swift get-together
- Young girl found dead on railway tracks
- Community's children apprehended by province
- Kids of St. Ignatius make Sweet gesture to beloved crossing guard
- 'Shocking' half of First Nations kids living in poverty, new study finds
- Young girl found dead on railway tracks
- HSC Home Lottery winners announced
- Court told driver hysterical after vehicle fatally hit highway worker
- Child in critical condition after West End crash
- Winnipeg man given 2-year sentence for coma-inducing 'sucker punch'
- Toronto woman dead in rural Manitoba ATV wreck
- Man convicted of drunk driving in Henderson pile-up
- Bomber fans wowed by new stadium
- Portage Ave. stretch re-opens after Friday-night bomb scare
- RCMP say woman deliberately murdered her sister with her car
- Young girl found dead on railway tracks
- Hailstorm wreaks havoc on Winnipeg garden centre
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- 87-year-old woman tells jurors, 'Somebody had to stand up to' Donald Trump
- Two people killed in crash north of Winnipeg
- Two Winnipeg teens identified as victims of crash
- HSC Home Lottery winners announced
- Father, daughter seriously injured in ATV crash
- Court told driver hysterical after vehicle fatally hit highway worker
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- Community's children apprehended by province
- Baked Alaska: Unusual heat wave hits north, with temps topping 80 degrees (26C) in Anchorage
- Mountie hospitalized, dog euthanized after crash near Saskatoon
- New crowd plan for Taylor Swift get-together
- 'Sopranos' star Gandolfini dies at 51 while vacationing in Rome
- Court told driver hysterical after vehicle fatally hit highway worker
- Sobey clan to alter city market
- Accounts and accountability: UK committee says bankers must take more responsibility
- Etienne grabs a clue
- Tory attacks on Trudeau boomerang, raise questions about PMO involvement
- At 55, I'm wise to what's real in life
- Sobeys gobbles up Safeway
- Basic arithmetic back in class
- Community's children apprehended by province
- Geothermal heat coming to some Manitoba First Nations
- Spiralling cost of land raises new home prices
- Baked Alaska: Unusual heat wave hits north, with temps topping 80 degrees (26C) in Anchorage
- Priest kept silent about accusations against Storheim, court hears
- Rogers and MTS announce new network sharing agreement
- $110-K worth of nickel plates stolen from Thompson mine
- New owner for lumber stores
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- Door openers being used to break into garages, police warn
- Province formally opens Mental Health Crisis Response Centre
- Hailstorm wreaks havoc on Winnipeg garden centre
- New rules let customers cancel phone contracts without penalty after two years
- App could give Winnipeggers chance to report bad parking, get paid
- At 55, I'm wise to what's real in life
- MTS to sell Allstream to Egyptian investment group, focus on Manitoba market
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
Have Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscribers only. why?
Login SubscribeHave Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press Subscribers only. why?
SubscribeThe Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.