Canada – from www.thoroldedition.ca- If Thorold retailers selling x-rated books, magazines, videotapes or other adult-only content fail to properly comply with a newly enforced bylaw, they could face a $250 fine.

The official bylaw was approved during council’s most recent meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 4 after councillors revisited an issue that was brought up in June of last year.

After receiving a letter in request to enforce a bylaw to govern the display of x-rated content in local retail outlets, the city asked stores to voluntarily place all adult content at a height of five feet above floor level and behind an opaque barrier, so that the cover of every book or magazine while on display, except for the name and the title, may not be in an area accessible to anyone under the age of 18 years.

The issue was initially brought to council after a resident was traumatized when she and her 7-year-old daughter visited a local convenient store to pick out a movie, and were confronted with a display of adult magazines showing “full nudity and bondage.”

Teresa D’Ammizio wrote to at-the-time mayor, Henry D’Angela, that she was disappointed to see nude content made overly visible to children.

“I appeal to you for the sake of our children,” D’Ammizio wrote. “Our children already see so much of what their young minds are not equipped to handle and with dire consequences as you can see in so many news reports.”

In July 2010 a report was brought forward regarding the issue and provided council with regulations enacted by other municipalities including Niagara Falls, London and Pickering.

At the time, the report stated that should the compliance not be met, council may consider enacting a formal bylaw to license, regulate, govern, classify and inspect certain classes of stores and businesses engaged in the provision of adult videotapes, adult magazines and adult goods.

But at the Oct. 4 council meeting, Adele Arbour, planning and building services director, said in a report that the six retailers who had adult magazines or videos for sale when visited by bylaw enforcement officers in August of last year have not complied with council’s request and continued to be in violation.

As a result, city staff drafted the same bylaw enforced by the City of London, which means retailers could face a $250 fine if they fail to act in accordance with the rules. Stores selling x-rated content will have three weeks to comply until the bylaw is fully enforced.

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