St. John's lifts ban on new adult massage parlours - CBC.ca

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For the first time since 2015, new massage parlours hosting sex work are allowed to open in Newfoundland and Labrador's capital city.

St. John's city council voted unanimously on Monday evening to lift a moratorium put in place in 2015 after several complaints were made about a massage parlour in a residential area.


City council's loosening of regulations is intended to allow more choices for sex workers in the city and encourage anybody working in an unsafe environment to leave for greener pastures.

"This is a move that will provide more mobility and more choice for workers within the industry and that actually really enhances their safety," said Coun. Hope Jamieson.

Coun. Hope Jamieson spoke in favour of ending the ban on massage parlour permits, saying it is a measure the city can take to improve the safety of sex workers. (Stephen Miller/CBC)

It's been a topic of discussion at the council level for several months.

In October, the city proposed changing the name of the facilities to "body rub parlours," to distance them from licensed massage parlours before moving forward with lifting the moratorium.

That name was widely rejected by the general public and sex workers.

On Monday night, councillors referred to the facilities as "adult massage parlours," and said while the name still doesn't please everyone involved, it was a relatively safe compromise.

CBC News has spoken with sex workers in the past year who are divided on the issue of opening new parlours. Some say the move brings sex workers out of the shadows and gives them safer choices. Others said the industry is too unregulated, leading to unsafe conditions within parlours.

City not involved in safety regulations


Councillors Jamieson and Maggie Burton, as well as Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O'Leary, spoke about how this move is the best the city can do to improve safety for workers in the industry.

The rest — such as labour standards or any illegal activity inside the facilities — falls to the provincial government.

Jamieson said she expects more will be done by the province.

"I have personally had meetings with ministers of the province who are looking at bringing in some regulations so I'm happy to see that conversation happening," she said.

Coun. Maggie Burton brought forward the motion at Monday's council meeting, which was held over the phone due to the shutdown of city buildings amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Malone Mullin/CBC)

It is legal to sell sexual services in Canada. However, it is illegal to advertise, pay for, or, as a third party, benefit financially from sexual services. Burton said it's not city council's place to inhibit the businesses from opening as long as they are in compliance with city standards.

"These massage facilities are not prohibited by law so we feel bound to accommodate them while being respectful of the neighbourhoods in which they may operate," Burton said.

The amendment to city regulations means new parlours could open in areas zoned for commercial use.

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