Islanders sought input on new rules for unregulated beauty services in PEI
Christy Robertson says she was surprised to learn about the lack of regulations for personal care services on Prince Edward Island.
The province’s Hairdressers Act regulates hairdressing services, but things like skin care, nail care and hair removal are not covered by the law. This means that providers are not required to be licensed or hold credentials.
“That’s what really disgusts me,” Robertson said. “I would like someone to look into this. It should really be regulated…everyone should be covered under the same laws.”
Robertson is not alone in questioning whether the current law goes far enough.
The province announced Monday it wants feedback from Islanders on how cosmetology services are regulated on P.E.I.
“The province is reviewing existing legislation to determine whether an update or new regulatory framework is needed to better reflect the full scope of cosmetology services offered today in P.E.I.,” the Department of Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population said in a news release.
the time is coming soon
The PEI Hairdressers Association has long been calling on the provincial government to regulate cosmetology services, said executive director Sherry Runighan.
She said she would like to see all beauty and personal care services on the island come under a new association – Cosmetology of Prince Edward Island.
“A lot of the public doesn’t even realize that it’s not being regulated. There’s not even oversight going into those service providers,” Runighan said.
“We are willing to do that and we are willing to work with the government to be able to move this forward.”
Runighan said the PEI Hairdressers Association inspects hair salons and stylists on a regular basis to ensure they meet minimum standards. This includes ensuring that providers have appropriate credentials and that sanitation and sterilization requirements are maintained.
“It is important for the public to have a sense of security when visiting one of these service providers,” he said.
‘It will take manpower’
Runighan said time and resources will be some of the biggest challenges when it comes to expanding the rules to include more service providers.
“There are a lot of places that are open and opening on a regular basis that are not under (the association),” he said. “It will require manpower to be able to make sure that we get to those locations and (make sure) they are following the guidelines.”
While it will take time to educate service providers about the rules and how they are enforced, Runighan said this is nothing new for the hairdressers association, which has been in existence since 1959.
“We just want to make sure that everyone has minimum standards. We just want to make sure that people who are going in and getting these services are feeling safe.”
