DISCLAIMER: The following article is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and does not reflect the opinions of views of the Richmond Sentinel. In the last edition, we explored the interesting laws and bylaws found in Saskatchewan as part of our 13-part series. In this edition, we continued heading east towards The Heartland Province, also known as Ontario to see what quirky laws and bylaws were or still are enforced. From swearing in parks, sirens on a bike, and hotel owners selling your horse, Ontario has got them all. 

1. Starting in Petrolia, Ontario, a town that is about an hour drive west of London, Ontario, the act of whistling was prohibited in 1990. The bylaw, which had been enacted in hopes of reducing noise disturbances at night, prohibited whistling, singing, and shouting in public spaces between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. Though this bylaw does make sense, one must wonder what those streets used to sound like at night. Violations of the bylaw could result in a fine, but the amounts were not publicly detailed. In 2009, the town of Petrolia repealed the bylaw. (Narcity Toronto) 

2. For most young adults or adults these days, they have probably climbed a tree, at one point in their lives. This may not entirely be the case for those in Oshawa. Though the date is not specified, the Municipality of Oshawa has a bylaw that prevents individuals from climbing trees. At first you might think, what a cruel thing to do to our future generations, but the main objective of the bylaw does not include just any tree. The bylaw was created in order to protect both individuals and trees from potential harm, the bylaw prohibits climbing trees on municipal property. (Toronto Observer) 

3. Profanity has become a natural part of many people’s everyday speech. This does not only include adults but even kids nowadays. The municipality of Toronto has a similar bylaw to the one in Taber, Alberta, with the goal of maintaining a family-friendly environment in public parks, all individuals are prohibited from the use of profane or abusive language. Individuals who are caught violating this bylaw could be subject to a fine that ranges from $100 to $300. (City of Toronto) 

4. We’ve all seen the infamous pirate Zazu from The Lion King, or Iago from Disney’s Aladdin, laughing at their ability to mimic the voices and phrases that they hear. But did you know that in Oak Bay, Ontario, residents are not always well received. If a parrot is discovered to be too loud or to be disturbing the peace, owners are subjected to a fine of $100 as they are disturbing the peace. 

5. Walking around parks and in the outdoors in Canada, you’re bound to see a few Canadian geese or ducks. Many compassionate strangers are always tempted to feed them as some look quite frail. In Stratford, that is heavenly frowned upon. Enacted on Aug. 8, 2016, the City of Stratford passed a bylaw that prohibited the feeding of wildlife. Shockingly, this does not apply to all types of wildlife, as it has been stated that swans are exempt from this rule and food can be shared with them. The main reason behind this is because the municipality wants to address the public’s concerns of overpopulation, altered migration patterns, and cleanliness of ducks and geese. (mystratfordnow.com) 

6. Back in the day when horses were the main method of transportation, hotel owner’s whose guests were unable to make the payment would automatically lose possession of their horse. Similar to now, where banks are able to reclaim an item if the owner cannot make their payments. Surprisingly, back in the day, according to the Ontario’s Innkeepers Act, inn keepers not only gained possession of it, but they were also permitted to sell a guest’s horse to recover the unpaid debt. 

7. Since 1973 in Sudbury Ontario, the attachment of sirens on a bicycle is prohibited. This is a confusing bylaw as normal bike riders would just add a bell or horn to their bicycle. Violation of this bylaw could result in a fine of $110, as they are not considered an appropriate signalling device for bicycles. 

8. One of the more quirky laws is the Apology Act of 2009. A law that was enacted by the government that essentially allowed individuals to express their own regret or sympathy without their apology being considered an admission of fault. The act allows individuals to express their feelings and opens up communication without the consequence of being arrested. This makes you wonder though, were individuals arrested or charged for their expressions of sympathy? 

9. With the amount of sports events in the Province of Ontario, this next law might be a bit of a surprise. In Red Lake, Ontario, a bylaw prohibits playing games in parking areas of public parks or municipal areas. This includes but is not limited to ball games, skateboarding, frisbee-throwing, cornhole, beer pong, and more. Violators of this bylaw are subject to a $100 fine and the bylaw is still enforced to this day. 

If you think we missed any quickly laws in the province, feel free to email us at newsroom@richmondsentinel.ca or comment under the post on one of our social media accounts. In the next edition, we venture further east to what was once known as New France, to see what quirky laws and bylaws were or still are enforced.