Montreal-area city limits erotic businesses in effort to fight sexual exploitation
MONTREAL — In an effort to tackle sexual exploitation, Quebec’s third-largest city adopted a bylaw this week limiting all new, sex-related businesses to one industrial zone.
A maximum of five so-called erotic businesses will be allowed in the new territory in Laval, just north of Montreal.
As two such companies are already operating in the delineated area, there is only room for three more, the city said Wednesday.
“Sex-related businesses are conducive to sexual exploitation,” city councillor Sandra Desmeules said in an interview. “I don’t want to generalize, but we have a problem in Quebec and we are taking concrete action against this.”