The Taboo Naughty but Nice Show is being cancelled in Abbotsford due to restrictive liquor laws and flack from the fundamentalist Christian community, the event producer announced.

The successful Taboo sex show was scheduled to take place at Tradex in Abbotsford starting March 29, but was pulled by Canwest Production late last week.

It would have been the fifth year the adult-only event had come to Abbotsford, often described as the Lower Mainland's Bible belt.

Canwest has been unable to get the event a roaming liquor licence, which allows patrons to move about the sex show with a drink in hand as they do at the event in seven other Canadian cities, said Sean Libin, Can-west marketing vice-president.

The Taboo sex show has also been subject to "pushback" from an increasingly vocal group of Christian fundamentalist's, led in large part by former Abbotsford mayoral candidate Gerda Peachey, said Libin.

Canwest president Peter Kiddell said the Taboo show has been accused of harming the community's family values and that it could lead to an increase in crime.

Canwest had a responsibility to be a good community partner and Taboo was just one of the shows it produces.

"But we also have an obligation to provide the best and most entertaining and educational experience for our guests and most positive business experience for our hundreds of exhibitors."

Peachey's most recent call to the city to cancel the show took place at the council meeting early last week.

She noted the city has made moral decisions in the past, such as denying additional slot machine to Chances Community Gaming Centre, and should vet events at Tradex based on "standards of decency."

Abbotsford city manager Frank Pizzuto said council has empowered the operators of Tradex and the Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre to make the decisions about what events are booked at the venues.

"Tradex is an independent facility with its own board, and they make decisions about what shows they want to bring in," said Pizzuto.

"We believe these facilities can be run independently and they should be. If you believe you've got good governing bodies in place to run these facilities, you should not intervene."

Dan Stefanson, executive director of Tourism Abbotsford which runs Tradex, said the show's cancellation will cost the venue $38,000 in lost revenue and generate a significant financial hole.

The cancellation of the show will also mean lost employment and revenue spent at area businesses.

"There will be a gap in our budget now by all accounts," said Stefanson, adding Canwest gave no reasons for why it was cancelling the show.

"The minute they pulled the contract, we immediately started selling those dates but it's a very short period of time to replace such a high yield show."

He hadn't been aware of Canwest's concerns regarding the liquor restrictions and community opposition.