A rise in online advertisements for sexual services at holistic spas in Guelph prompted an eight-month long police investigation and saw six business owners charged under a city bylaw.

In May 2025, the Guelph Police Service human trafficking unit launched Operation Spotlight after officers observed an increase in the online ads offering sexual services. 

Colleen Collins, the police service’s manager of community engagement and strategic initiatives, told CBC News these ads prompted officers to investigate further and they visited a number of spas in the city.

“Individuals involved in the sex trade are often more vulnerable to trafficking. With that in mind, [police] wanted to ensure the spas were operating lawfully and, most importantly, that the individuals working there were doing so voluntarily,” Collins said in an email.

“We were fully prepared to commit the necessary time and resources to ensure strict compliance with the law and to act against any exploitation of individuals working in such establishments.”

During the investigation, police say they identified “a substantial number of bylaw infractions within several establishments.”

In the end, more than 40 bylaw offence notices were served to six spa business owners. In all of the cases, the spa owners were charged with: “Owner licensee fail to ensure no adult entertainment services provided.”

Adult entertainment business licences are issued by municipalities. Under the City of Guelph’s bylaw, no one is permitted to provide any adult entertainment good or service in a “holistic services establishment.”

People convicted of breaching the bylaw could face a fine of up to $10,000 for each day that the offence happened. 

Dustin Gronc, the City of Guelph’s manager of corporate and community safety division operations, confirmed city staff worked alongside police to ensure the spas “were complying with all requirements under the city’s business licensing bylaw.” 

Even though the charges are bylaw infractions and not criminal charges, Gronc noted police laid the charges against the spa owners and directed further questions to police.

Collins said the police service aims to be proactive in their approach and want to help educate people as well as “send a clear message about our expectations” to business owners.

“It is important to emphasize that not all holistic spas are linked to sex work. Nor are all holistic spas inherently connected to human trafficking,” Collins said.

“However, the private-room settings and limited visibility associated with legitimate services can be exploited by traffickers to target and control vulnerable people.”