Chandra Lye
CTV Edmonton

City to consider restrictions on 'body rub centres'

The city will be looking at tighter restrictions for adult massage parlours.

A bylaw that will be discussed Wednesday has called for 100 meter separation between "body rub centres" and buildings such as schools, treatment centres and even bars.

Resident Irene Zerr said the massage business in her neighbourhood makes her uncomfortable.

"You never know what it is bringing in," she told CTV News.

"Attracting the wrong people in there," she added.

Zerr said she would be in favour of a city bylaw that restricted where the parlours could operate.

"I think it's a great idea."

Ward 8 councillor Ben Henderson said he was also in support of the bylaw.

"I just think the fact that there is something in place to say ‘Look, these are not appropriate places to put this. These are not good mixes' I think is a step in the right direction," he told CTV News adding that the restrictions would need to be reasonable.

"If it becomes too Draconian then it just gets driven underground, which creates huge problems for the workers that are in there and their safety," he explained.

Jane Batty, councilor for Ward 6, agreed.

"We do need to legislate them and make sure that kids aren't subjected to them and the other part is you can't stick them out in industrial areas, because they are not safe for people," she said.

The bylaw would also restrict how close parlours are located to residences.

Venus Massage studio staff declined to comment on the issue.

With files from Sean Amato

The city is looking at implementing a bylaw that would restrict where massage parlours, like this one, could operate.