References to escorts and escort agencies were removed from the town’s draft business licensing bylaw before it was given first reading at Monday night’s council meeting.
Councillors were unanimous in their support for Councillor Sean McIntyre’s motion to ‘sever’ or remove the references and deal with those types of businesses as a separate issue at a later date.
“Clearly the issue of licensing escorts and escort agencies is a complicated and touchy issue,” he said. “My idea is we still need more information that can be brought to council. This is overshadowing other issues within the bylaw.”
“I agree with Councillor McIntyre,” said Councillor Dale Plante.
“I don’t personally support or endorse licensing of escort agencies but there are certain parameters of our jurisdiction … There’s no reason this can’t be separated from the business licensing bylaw.”
Councillors supported McIntyre after retiring to a separate meeting room for an ‘in camera’ session which included RCMP S/Sgt. Gary Rhodes and other town staff.
A public hearing on the amended bylaw will take place at the Apr. 8 council meeting after notice has been advertising in the Sylvan Lake News and on the town’s website.
At that time residents will have a chance to address council on provisions of the bylaw which still remain.
Mayor Susan Samson proposed the public hearing, which isn’t normal for this type of bylaw. “I suggest there’s quite a bit of public concern and public interest. There’s still concern about mobile vending and ‘not in my backyard’.”
Other unique businesses highlighted in the bylaw with additional regulations include tourist homes, mobile vending, pawn shops, secondhand stores and buskers. The bylaw also prohibits the operation of rickshaws and pedicabs.
Prior to making their decisions Monday, councillors were provided with an overview of the bylaw and the response to questions asked by McIntyre at a previous meeting.
Rhodes’ reply to the question about whether the RCMP have resources to keep escorts safe, was that “in terms of calls for service, an escort would be considered in the same category as any other citizen. The escort services are legal in Canada and so we would only have an interaction with one of their employees should they have a legitimate complaint and we would conduct an investigation as necessary.”
He didn’t anticipate the RCMP needing additional resources or the cost to the town increasing.
To the question, “What is the RCMP’s capacity to keep escorts safe”, Rhodes replied, “This does not fall within our policing mandate and is not considered a policing duty”
McIntyre’s question, “Are there direct programs to assist an escort when they want to leave the industry,” was answered by the town’s Community and Social Development department.
“There are no direct local programs to assist an escort when they want to leave the industry (i.e. shelter, treatment centres or transition programs). Direct intervention programs are outside the mandate of municipal social services.”
The department, addressing the question about additional resources to help escorts, stated, “Local agencies and programs however, including FCSS, do assist individuals to access regional services and agencies such as Central Alberta Women’s Outreach, Central Alberta Aids Network Society and Women’s Emergency Shelter. Individuals referred to these regional agencies do receive support to access other services within the region and/or treatment centres in Edmonton or Calgary.”