Prostitution laws face new B.C. challenge

[Guest W***ledi*Time]

Right now, selling sex for money is legal, but living off that money, running a bawdy house, and communication for the purpose of selling sex is illegal.

 

That means women can't hire bodyguards or work indoors.

 

This is good to know :) but at the same time makes no sense lol I wish they would just decriminalize and regulate everything like alberta, they have a really good system out there and regulations and licencing might even help the provinces deficet lol!!!

[Guest C*****tte]

I am not a fan of current regulation and licensing as I think its a city's indirect way to profit from prostitution while not offering true support or reasonable structure for those in the sex trade.

 

In Alberta, like some other provinces, the licensing is done on a municipal level. In Calgary you need to live there and work for an agency to be granted and allowed to work as an outcall prostitute. The licensing is also much more expensive than most any other kind of business registration. Registering and paying the license fee as a touring escort is not allowed.

 

Incall is still illegal. I am not sure if and how massage parlors get around this.

 

Other cities that I know have some form of registration and licensing are Vancouver, Edmonton, Windsor and I believe Winnipeg (which makes a distinction between social escorting and prostitution).

 

Toronto was allowing sensual body work licenses to massage parlors, but I believe they stopped issuing new ones fairly quickly. Same thing with Burnaby. I know the Burnaby license is very expensive.

[Annalise Lane 662]

I can speak for Alberta:

 

Calgary - licensing is the same price as any other company that wants to open. You need a business license, a name that is registered with the city and office. Fee's are under 500 for everything. Your office must be zoned for purpose of use. You will become an agency but that doesn't mean you have to hire.

 

Edmonton - You can be independent without an office, but you can't hire anyone. Fee is over 2000.

 

Neither city can you work inside.

 

I am not a fan of current regulation and licensing as I think its a city's indirect way to profit from prostitution while not offering true support or reasonable structure for those in the sex trade.

 

In Alberta, like some other provinces, the licensing is done on a municipal level. In Calgary you need to live there and work for an agency to be granted and allowed to work as an outcall prostitute. The licensing is also much more expensive than most any other kind of business registration. Registering and paying the license fee as a touring escort is not allowed.

 

Incall is still illegal. I am not sure if and how massage parlors get around this.

 

Other cities that I know have some form of registration and licensing are Vancouver, Edmonton, Windsor and I believe Winnipeg (which makes a distinction between social escorting and prostitution).

 

Toronto was allowing sensual body work licenses to massage parlors, but I believe they stopped issuing new ones fairly quickly. Same thing with Burnaby. I know the Burnaby license is very expensive.

[Guest C*****tte]

Thanks for clearing that up. Much appreciated.

[Lou 9208]

No matter how the provinces decide to legislate, it is still a crime under the criminal code.

 

The licencing by the province is not there to allow more safety for sex workers or provide better working conditions. Its only purpose is to make money from the licensing and give the impression of control over the industry to the "good citizens".

 

Other provinces have legislate before in regards of sex work but had to repeal their laws because they were not in respect of the provincea/cities powers. Don't know how the actual Alberta municipal bylaws are written but I wouldn't be surprise if again they were going to far for the powers of the city. But, sadly, until somebody courageous challenge them, nothing will happen.

[fortunateone 156618]

No matter how the provinces decide to legislate, it is still a crime under the criminal code.

 

The licencing by the province is not there to allow more safety for sex workers or provide better working conditions. Its only purpose is to make money from the licensing and give the impression of control over the industry to the "good citizens".

 

Other provinces have legislate before in regards of sex work but had to repeal their laws because they were not in respect of the provincea/cities powers. Don't know how the actual Alberta municipal bylaws are written but I wouldn't be surprise if again they were going to far for the powers of the city. But, sadly, until somebody courageous challenge them, nothing will happen.

 

Someone did and was unsuccessful. The challenge to the city requiring indy to get an indy escort license was that prostitutes are not escorts, prostitution is not illegal, and there is no city bylaw or licensing that can apply to a prostitute going on an outcall. The court upheld that the city could still make them get a license anyway, and if they don't have one, fine them for lack of one, regardless what they were doing.