Hamilton brothel to fight closure

A city brothel that could be shut by a proposed bylaw says it will fight to keep its 28 girls working.

Opponents of a draft bylaw which exempts residential brothels from a ban if they were established before June 24, want the exemption removed.

If city strategic chairman Dave Macpherson wins a majority of councillors' support, two residential brothels would be forced to shut.

The management of one of those, Toni's, believed that a certificate of compliance from 1992, as well as a clean record, would be enough to protect the business. But council strategic general manager Michael Theelen said lawyers had advised a bylaw change would take precedence.

Toni's manager Julie Conley said she would argue her case when the council heard public submissions.