Calgary plans to ban conversion therapy by withholding business licences

CALGARY — A motion to ban conversion therapy is to go before a Calgary council committee with a vote expected sometime next month.

Conversion therapy aims to change an individual’s sexual orientation through counselling or religious teachings.

It has been discredited as psychologically damaging.

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi and five council members say the motion will be brought forward early next week.

Nenshi, at an event with federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu today, called the practice “insidious” and said it’s something that needs to be dealt with.

He says the city could prevent conversion therapy by refusing to issue or by revoking business licences for groups that use it.

Hajdu says the federal government sent letters to all provinces last summer asking them to ban conversion therapy, but hasn’t heard back from Alberta.

A number of cities, including Vancouver and Edmonton, have already banned the practice.

The Canadian Press