Residents of Calgary are now prohibited from openly carrying weapons and noxious substances, as violations of the newly changed bylaw could amount to a $250 fine.
During a regular meeting of council on June 24, the city council passed an amendment to the weapons provision of the Public Behaviour Bylaw. The update makes the display of potentially threatening items punishable and aims to improve safety city-wide.
According to a news release, the language used to describe the objects was chosen to remain “non-exhaustive.” Yet, the city identified some weapons as for certain, including hatchets, batons, machetes, bats, saws, forged firearms, and knives. On noxious substances, bear and pepper spray, among any hazardous liquid capable of causing injuries, were listed.
The amendment was sparked by the council reviewing a section of the Transit Bylaw, which highlighted a grey area where neither the municipality nor local police had jurisdiction to reprimand the public display of tools used to inflict harm.
“The City and the Calgary Police Service advocated for these changes to expand enforcement ability and close the gap between the Criminal Code and the Public Behaviour Bylaw,” said Chief Bylaw Officer, Ryan Pleckaitis.
Six years ago, incidents including the use of bear spray began an upward trend. When crimes related to bear spray rose again in 2023, the CPS started working with the city’s Community Services team.
Following recommendations, the CPS published its report to the Calgary Police Commission, which focused on the illegal use of bear spray. Released in November 2024, this revealed a surge in the deterrent playing a role in criminal activities, such as robberies and assaults.
While the amendment permits possession, some city officials think that any item with the possibility of posing a threat to another should be prohibited from Calgary’s streets.
Council reacts to weapons provision update
Ward 7 Coun. Terry Wong said that he is against the bylaw alteration, but not due to the nature of the change. Rather, he agrees that harsher restrictions should be put on bear spray entirely, but wishes that the amendment included infractions for possession.
“There isn’t a need for a large canister of bear spray in an urban environment,” said Wong.
“It’s without reason.”
Referencing the 2023 Chinatown robbery where a staff at a Dragon City Mall jewelry store fell victim to a bear spray attack, he said that this is one of many anecdotes proving the worsening crime rate in downtown Calgary.
Despite historically recent examples of mall-based violence, coupled with the CPS’s report stating bear spray as the most common weapon used across all commercial robberies in 2024, Ward 11 Coun. Kourtney Penner expressed concern about how the change will look to residents.
“We also don’t want to exaggerate a problem and make it seem like this is a real significant issue in our city, when it may not be,” she said.
While Wong and Penner said clarification is needed for their approval, Ward 8 Coun. Courtney Walcott commended putting the bylaw forward, citing that it will reinstate needed trust in law enforcement.
“That’s an important way of making sure that we’re protecting the integrity of our public spaces and the integrity of the justice system,” said Walcott.
