A Halifax gym has decided to eliminate race-based pricing after receiving significant feedback and criticism regarding its discounted rates aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion. R Studios, which operates five locations in Nova Scotia, faced backlash this week following social media posts highlighting the pricing structure.

Canadian veteran Jeff Evely expressed his concerns on X, stating that charging “double for white people” compared to Black and Indigenous People of Colour (BIPOC) customers violated the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act. Evely, who is also a candidate for the People’s Party of Canada in Sydney—Glace Bay, pointed out discrepancies in the gym's pricing. He shared screenshots from the gym’s website, which displayed a drop-in pass priced at $30 for white customers and a $15 pass labeled as the “BIPOC drop-in rate.”

In response to the criticism, R Studios removed the discount from its website and issued a statement on social media. The gym emphasized its commitment to diversity, stating, “In a fitness industry that has long been predominantly white and often inaccessible, we have taken pride in being leaders who actively promote diversity through our hiring practices, in-studio equity and inclusion training, and the creation of our IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility) Committee.”

The gym acknowledged that the discounted membership, created by its BIPOC team and IDEA Committee, was intended to foster diversity and inclusion but had been perceived by some as exclusive. R Studios stated it would be launching a fund to provide access to memberships for individuals facing “financial or systemic barriers.”

R Studios first opened its doors in 2014, with owner Connie McInnes describing it as a space for “the misfits, the non-conformists, the everyday person.” Other organizations, such as Halifax Circus, also offer BIPOC discounts upon request. Additionally, VIA Rail provides a 33 percent discount for Indigenous travelers, a policy that has been in place since at least 2019.

Legal experts have weighed in on the issue. Bruce Pardy, a law professor at Queen’s University, noted that while varying prices by race may seem objectionable, it aligns with existing practices that allow different rules for different groups in various contexts.

This is not the first instance of race-based pricing drawing criticism. In 2017, a filmmaker in British Columbia faced backlash for implementing a “justice-pricing model” that charged white men more for movie tickets. In 2021, the B.C. Human Rights Commissioner permitted preferential hiring for BIPOC candidates at certain organizations.

In December 2024, a community event in Montreal was canceled after it was revealed that ticket prices for BIPOC attendees were discounted by approximately 40 percent. R Studios and Halifax Circus have not yet responded to requests for further comment on the matter.