Winnipeg spas, beauty salons go uninspected, CBC finds

Despite complaints of unsanitary conditions at some of Winnipeg’s 900 spas and beauty salons, there are no mandatory health inspections at such facilities, CBC News has found.

A list of hygiene infractions dating from 2005 shows some beauty salons operating under filthy conditions — with customers getting head lice, or infections after having pedicures, CBC's investigative unit found.

"It's unbelievable that people can get away with doing things like this," said salon client Ashley Campbell, who was given a list of complaints other customers had brought against some local salons.

"That's totally unacceptable, and if this is going on, and obviously it is — and I didn't realize there were no inspections — the province or even the country should look at doing something for it."

The City of Winnipeg does not report complaints against local health spas or beauty salons — unless the businesses have been forced to close. And while estheticians undertake apprenticeship training, there are no sanctions against individuals who have no such training.

One establishment, Genies Electrolysis, was forced to close two years ago after equipment that came into contact with body fluids and blood was being reused without being cleaned. The operation was allowed to reopen once the problems were corrected.

In the last three years, Winnipeg has received 19 complaints about conditions at spas and salons, while there have been 17 complaints in other areas of Manitoba.

Winnipeg health inspectors say the risk of getting a health problem at a salon in the city is low.

But their investigations find the majority of complaints received are valid.

Regulations requiring routine inspections for salons were cancelled by the province in 1998.

One reason there haven’t been more complaints is that health inspectors only act after a complaint. And many customers don’t complain.

"The unfortunate part is a lot of people who have a legitimate complaint, they leave the salon and go somewhere else, they never actually voice their complaint," said Doreen Maunder, owner of the European School of Esthetics.

Maunder said in there is no reason that proprietors of salons and spas can't meet common sense hygiene standards. "That's just unacceptable now," she said. "There's just no need for it."

Those in Manitoba can tune in to CBC News at Six on Monday night for more on this story.