Saskatoon council committee to consider draft bylaw banning conversion therapy as a business practice

Saskatoon’s Governance and Priorities committee will be considering a new draft bylaw addressing the practice of conversion therapy at Monday’s meeting.

Conversion therapy refers to therapy or treatments aimed at changing a person’s sexual orientation. The proposed bylaw would ban any business, corporation or individual in the city from providing conversion therapy services.

It could include potential fines, ranging from $10,000 for individuals to $25,000 for any corporation. Should offences continue, the fines could be levied for each day after that. Business licences could also be suspended for three months at a time.

If a business is practising conversion therapy without a licence, the person convicted would not be able to apply for a licence for three months.

Enforcement would be up to the general manager of the Community Services department.

So far, one letter of objection has been sent to the city from Edwin G. Ralph. In his letter, he states his opposition to the bylaw because it “minimizes the rights of individuals who may personally choose to seek such assistance.” He also writes that “the intended Bylaw is close to violating Canada’s charter.”

Last April, council directed the city solicitor to come up with a bylaw prohibiting the practice of conversion therapy in Saskatoon, and to express its support for the federal government’s tabled Bill C-8.

Bill C-8 is an act to amend the Criminal Code to criminalize aspects of conversion therapy-related activities in Canada.

While the proposed bylaw will be discussed at Monday’s meeting, city council must vote at a future meeting whether to approve, amend, or defeat it.