Massage studio in Pointe-St-Charles social housing building questioned

A Montreal city councillor is raising questions about a business offering massageson the ground floor of a city-owned social housing unit in Pointe-St-Charles.

SteveShanahan,acouncilor inthePeter-McGilldistrictfor LeVraiChangementpourMontralopposition party,noticed the business on Centre Streetover the weekend.

Hesaid it advertises massages and appeared to be open until 4 a.m. on weekends.

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Shanahanis concerned the business may beoffering erotic massages, even though he said he doesn't have "absolute proof."

"To me, it's just a terribly sad situation," he told CBC.

He saidthe SHDM, Montreal's affordable housing corporation, should rent space tobusinesses that would helpthe community instead, such as a grocer offering fresh produce.

"I think we've got to take a look at changing the business that's in there, andI don't know what legally what has tohappen," he said.

"It didn't even occur to me that theSHDMwould rent out space to a massage parlour."

However, the owner ofMassage Diamantdenies any wrongdoing.

Tatiania Ilyina said her business offers Swedish massages and operates only between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Ilyina pays close to $1,200 per month to the city in rent, she said.

When shown online reviews of the facility that are erotic in nature, Ilyinasaid you cannot believe everything you read on the internet.

Leslie Molko, a spokesperson for the SHDM, said the business is registered as a beauty and esthetics salon.

She said the SHDM has asked the borough to look into the matter.

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre said shortly after taking officehe would make cracking down on illegal erotic massage parlours a priority.

Police have estimated there are up to 300 erotic massage parlours in the city.