Ontario strip club offers to pay for tuition to entice dancers

A strip club owner in Windsor, Ont., is offering women tuition, cash bonuses, rent and loans in an effort to entice Canadian women to dance for him.

Rob Katzman, who owns Leopard's Lounger and Broil and Cheetah's of Windsor, said the program has been in place for more than a decade.

After Ottawa ruled earlier this year that foreign strippers no longer qualify for temporary foreign work visas, Katzman began a more aggressive ad campaign highlighting the perks.

Katzman said 22 foreign dancers he employs will be forced to leave Canada once their visas expire.

Changes announced by Ottawa on July 4 now make it illegal for an employer to hire any temporary foreign worker "linked to the sex trade" - and that includes strippers.

Katzman said he is not performing any type of end-around in an effort to recruit international students to become dancers.

"We stepped up our efforts in that area so that we can attract more entertainers so we can make up for the loss of the foreign entertainers," Katzman said. "Now we’re promoting it more in order to encourage girls to come work with us."

Katzman said it's "hogwash" to call his program exploitative.

"At worst it’s being opportunistic and at best it’s a way for the girls to better themselves," Katzman said. "No one is taking advantage of anybody."

In order to qualify for the tuition reimbursement, dancers must achieve better than a B average. Dancers can be paid up to $1,700 per semester.

Katzman, who is also a director of the Adult Entertainment Association of Canada, claims his program has graduated 11 nurses and one chartered accountant.

"It’s something we found that inspires girls and motivates them," Katzman said.