The Town of Newmarket is about to start enforcing its alternative massage parlour bylaw after months of effort.
The new rules will require licensing for what it calls “personal wellness establishments” in a bid to eliminate any sexual services being sold at businesses.
Council will also be confirming other decisions and adding new stop signs in town at its meeting Monday, Nov. 1.
Here is what NewmarketToday will be following:
Massage parlours
Newmarket's new regulations for personal wellness establishments will kick in after council decided last June to make the change.
Council is due to pass zoning amendments for the new business classification, which will put into effect regulations that require places with workers who are not registered massage therapists to be licensed by the town, and to provide employee qualifications.
The regulation aims to curb sexual services at any alternative massage parlours and address concerns about human trafficking. The move by the town recieved some criticism that it is discriminatory against Asian massage parlours.
Anti-human trafficking groups presented to York Region council Oct. 14 requesting the region adopt similar rules. Council voted to have staff bring back a report on measures the region or its municipalities could implement in response.
Newmarket Mayor John Taylor warned Oct. 14 that such rules will attract pushback, as the town experienced.
“I believe we landed at the right place, but it was a very unpleasant exercise getting there,” Taylor said.
Stop signs
Council is adding stop signs to Cane Parkway and William Roe Boulevard.
Newmarket is due to pass a bylaw to make the intersection a three-way stop rather than a one-way stop going southbound on William Roe.
The area was recently under construction for a forcemain construction project, which temporarily added stops. The town removed the stop signs in January once the work was finished, but some residents asked that they be returned to help with trail access.
Committee decisions
Much of Monday's council agenda is for confirmation of resolutions and presentations approved by the committee of the whole Oct. 25
This includes extending the patio program into 2022 and a zoning amendment for a development a 201 Davis Dr. Council is also progressing capital budget decisions.
The meeting will be streamed live at newmarket.ca/meetings, and an agenda is available here. You can submit correspondence to council for an item on the agenda by emailing [email protected] by the end of Oct. 31 or message the same email to arrange a deputation.
