A proposed bylaw to oversee raves in Edmonton is getting two thumbs up from local promoters and harm reduction organizations.
The bylaw comes nearly a year after councillors voted down a recommendation to impose a moratorium on electronic dance music events in the city due to public safety concerns related to drugs and sexual violence.
READ MORE: Edmonton committee votes against moratorium on raves
On Wednesday, the Community and Public Services Committee heard from promoters, Edmonton Police Service, the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton and other speakers about the bylaw.
“I think this is a really good step in managing harm reduction and also allowing people to enjoy electronic music in a safe way and making sure we, as a city, have a handle on it,” said Councillor Sarah Hamilton.
“I don’t think we’ll see a change immediately but I think over five, six years… my hope is this will be a success story for Edmonton.”
The proposed bylaw could, amongst other things, require promoters to apply for a specific business licence, apply for a permit if there are more than 1,500 people attending the event, to implement a medical plan with doctors and nurses as well as to have harm reduction plans.
READ MORE: Edmonton preparing new rules for raves
Andrew Williams, co-founder of Alberta Electronic Music, said he supports the ideas but has a few concerns.
“What we wanted to see from these bylaws is promoters were not unduly taxed with high fees for this business licence, that they could put their money towards harm-reduction efforts and not towards bureaucratic fees, and the whole process of licensing events happens quickly and efficiently so business can continue no matter what,” he said.
“If you’re dropping hundreds of thousands of dollars on just event permits, that’s hundreds of thousands of dollars that can’t be used on harm reduction.”
Shelby Young, founder of Indigo Harm Reduction, said harm-reduction strategies were not previously required for a rave but since the moratorium was announced last year, business has exploded. She said, if passed, the bylaw would make Edmonton the first in Canada to have harm reduction services at a large-scale electronic dance music event.
“When I started Indigo, I thought I was just going to be a nurse sitting at table with condoms and education. It’s turned into a huge movement in our city,” she said.
She said services include provide outreach services, safe spaces, health promotion, education about consent and safe sex.
The results of a survey that went to committee found that 46 per cent of respondents had experienced harassment, unwanted sexual behaviour or physical violence at a large-scale electronic dance music event while 66 per cent had witnessed harassment, sexual assault and sexual harassment.
Mary Jane James, from the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton, said she is encouraged by the bylaw, in particular a best practice consideration for promoters to include bystander intervention training.
“People are scared to intervene. Our program teaches how to safely intervene and there are ways without going up to the perpetrator and calling that person out and saying, ‘Stop doing that,’ or ‘Go away,’ or whatever,” she said.
Watch below (June 1, 2018): A proposal to temporarily ban raves in Edmonton over public safety concerns is being described as tone deaf by some. Fletcher Kent reports.
Viet Nguyen with Boodang Music Canada said his events implemented many of the strategies under review for the bylaw, such a harm-reduction services and medical services on site, after moratorium discussions last year, and there is a noticeable change.
“The events run smooth. The amount of transports have gone down,” he said.
“We only have a year’s worth of data at this point but it does show an improvement for sure.”
Nguyen said that, at BOMFEST in 2018, there was quadruple the size of the medical staff that organizers typically had at a 5,000-person event.
“It was substantially larger and it did feel substantially safer for sure,” he said.
READ MORE: 3 people taken to hospital from electronic music dance party at Edmonton mall
While promoters incurred the cost, Nguyen thinks it was worth it.
Hamilton said that, while there is no clear bylaw on the draft bylaw, it is expected later this year.
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