Now comes the hard part and that is to persuade the federal government to provide funding over five years for a plan to get sex trade workers off drugs and off the street into a more productive way of life.
Police Chief Bill Reid says the plan to be put together by police and various community groups has to be seen as having a good chance of working. He estimates there are from 30 to 50 people working in the sex trade, mostly women just trying to survive.
Reid says one part of the plan has to be a decent place to live that’s affordable and not a slum which is why Housing Alternatives is part of the group putting together a plan.
Sergeant Jim Fleming says none of the women working the street want to be there but they are plagued by drug addiction, mental health problems and abuse.
