RosemontLa-Petite-Patrie cracks down on erotic massage parlours

Eight erotic massage parlours are facing closure as Montreal's RosemontLa-Petite-Patrie borough cracks down on the businesses.

Borough Mayor Franois Croteau saidcomplaints are received daily for all kinds of businesses from car washes and bars, to massage parlours.

"For us, it's business as usual, and we received a lot of complaints from citizens living near [the massage parlours]," Croteau said.

"We don't want that kind of place near homes with families."

Letters sent to owners

Last year, the boroughinvestigated 46 establishments and foundthat at eight of them, there was a discrepancy between the actual and permitted usage.

Letters were sent Wednesday to warn the owners who will be affected. Municipal authorities say the businesses fall into three categories:

• Six establishments that will have their certificates of occupancy revoked for non-compliance.
• One establishment that applied for a certificate of occupancy, denied because the actual use of the premises would be non-compliant with the regulations.
• One establishment that was non-compliant with regulations and didn't have a certificate of occupancy.

"Our objective isn't to solve the problem or participate in the debate on whether it's acceptable to have erotic massage parlours in Montreal. Our work today is to make sure the rules are being followed," Croteau said.

Owners face fines and eventual closure if they don't conform to the rules,Croteau said.

As legal proceedings have begun, borough officials say they won't be giving details about the evidence collected.

The borough says at least two massage parlours voluntarily closed their doors last year.

Could borough have acted more quickly?

The vice-chair of the city's executive committee,AnieSamson,said it tookCroteautoo long to act.

"He had the power to say 'no' and not issue the permit, and he did not do that," Samson said.

"Today he's proud to say he's going to close them."

She saidthe borough could have researched the businesses through a simpleinternetsearch before issuing them the permits.

One of Denis Coderre'sfirst actions as Montreal mayorwas to crack down on illicit massage parlours, but a Supreme Court of Canada ruling in late 2013 forced him to put his plans on hold.

• Montreal erotic massage parlours flourishing despite anti-prostitution law

A new federal law went into effect that December, recriminalizingbrothel owners and clients. Following that, a spokesman for the mayor said city officials, lawyers and local police were in the process of developing an action plan.

A number of residents in the area have complained about businesses, saying they were too close to schools and daycares.