Harassment on the street is now punishable under Calgary’s public behaviour bylaw.
Under the amendment passed unanimously by city council on Tuesday afternoon, any communication that could reasonably cause offence or humiliation that refers to race, religion, colour, disability, age, marital status, source of income, gender, sexual orientation and more, could face a fine of $500. Sexual solicitations or advances also fall under the definition of harassment.
The change to the bylaw comes into effect on June 1.
“The bylaw will not be a silver bullet, and street harassment is not something that will be resolved overnight,” Aalika Kholi, a strategist with the city’s community standards department, told council.
That’s why city officials are also rolling out community education before June. Officials also recommended the city pursue a membership with the UN Women’s Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces Global Initiative.
“This membership requires a scoping study to understand violence and perception of safety in Calgary, and the use of data to create relevant strategies to better respond to such incidents,” Kholi said.
Edmonton is already a part of the initiative and became the second Canadian city to sign on, in 2016.
“It warms my heart to think that all of us (in council) actually understand that keeping Calgarians safe and feeling that they live in a welcoming city is a priority for them,” Mayor Jyoti Gondek said.
“Kudos to everyone who got this done.”
Bylaw officials told council that, as with many other alleged bylaw contraventions, attempts to educate why an act contravenes a bylaw is often the first step taken.
And under the public behaviour bylaw, a ticket involving a court appearance could result in a fine of up to $10,000 and six months in jail.
Other fineable offences under the public behaviour bylaw include fighting, spitting, urinating or defecating in public, loitering and carrying a visible knife in public.