Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe will table a bylaw that aims to restrict demonstrations near certain community spaces, including schools and hospitals amid an increase in hate crimes.
While exact details of the Vulnerable Social Infrastructure Bylaw remain unclear, Sutcliffe says he plans to table the motion at Wednesday’s city council meeting.
“No one should feel threatened or intimidated when attending their place of worship, school, community centre, or any other gathering space. Our mosques, churches, synagogues, and other institutions play a crucial role in supporting some of our most vulnerable community members, including seniors and children,” Sutcliffe wrote on social media.
Sutcliffe added there was a 19 per cent increase in hate crimes in 2023 targeting Muslim, Jewish, LGBTQ+ and other groups in Ottawa.
“That is not just a statistic; it’s a call to action,” he wrote.
The bylaw, often known as a bubble bylaw, has been introduced in other cities and jurisdictions across Canada.
The City of Vaughn passed a similar measure in June that would restrict demonstrations within 100 metres or “a reasonable distance” from a religious institution, school, childcare centre, hospital or congregate care facility.
The measure was passed amid a rise of demonstrations and protests following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks and Israel’s subsequent armed offensive in Gaza.
Bubble bylaws have been previously used in Canada to protect safe abortion access and healthcare centres.
The Ontario government passed the Safe Access to Abortion Services Act in 2017 to establish safe zones around facilities that offer abortion services, as well as the homes and offices of abortion providers.
Similar laws exist restricting demonstrations near abortion facilities exist in British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba and Nova Scotia.