7 city by-laws that are bound to be broken

By Sonia Bell
March 12, 2015
The small town of Taber, Alta. has a new by-law that has received widespread attention across the country. The new by-law outlaws swearing, yelling and spitting in public, and puts a curfew on kids and teenagers from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily.If residents swear or yell in public, they face a possible $150 fine for the first offense, and any offense thereafter will cost the $250. For minors out past 11 p.m, they may be hit with a $75 fine.This is not the first time a city council has passed a by-law that seems unreasonable. Here are seven more examples of city by-laws that are bound to be broken.

1. It's illegal to climb trees in Oshawa

climbing-trees-246x242Granted, this isn't necessarily the safest passtime, but to make this illegal seems a bit extreme. According to the Whitby by-laws, "no person shall interfere with a tree or part of a tree located on municipal property, including... climbing [a] tree." What person, at one point or another, hasn't relished in the fun of climbing a tree? Way to ruin childhood memories, Whitby.

2. Guelph is a no-pee zone

Screen Shot 2015-03-11 at 4.29.38 PMIf you're on the road and you need to go, don't pullover until you find a public washroom, as the city is officially a no-pee zone. When the by-law first passed, it caused some heated debate among Guelphites; some claimed that this would help maintain the city's grass, while others stated that "holding it in" can cause health issues. The city's response: the only thing that should water the grass is rain.

3. Watch when you water in Markham

watering-grass-246x242If you care for your grass, and want to water it on those hot summer days – think again! The City of Markham restricts the watering of lawns between June 1 and Sept. 30. Watering lawns is not permitted during the hottest hours of the day, as the sun will speed up the water's evaporation. So, homeowners can water their lawns only once a day between 6 and 9 a.m., and 6 and 9 p.m. To make matters worse, the city states that homeowners with even-numbered houses can water their lawn on even-numbered days, and homeowners with odd-numbered houses can water their lawn only on odd-numbered days. It doesn't comes as a shock that many people turn a blind eye to this by-law.

4. No more than 2 dogs per household in Uxbridge

Only two dogs per household are allowed in Uxbridge. Surely, two dogs would be most people's personal limit, but it seems a little imposing to say someone can't have more if they care to. To all the animal lovers who wish to exceed this number, you either need to move to a neighbourhood deemed as rural, or invest in a 10-acre lot.

5. Garage sales are capped in the city of Toronto

garage-sale-246x242If you're looking to get rid of some junk, note that you can have a maximum of two garage sales per year. However, it's doubtful that anyone is keep tabs on this. Moreover, a garage sale can't persist for longer than two days, and all advertising signs must come down after the sale.

6. Must shovel the sidewalk adjacent to your house in Kitchener

Shoveling-snow-246x242Sidewalks are the city's property, but a homeowners responsibility. If the sidewalk is adjacent to your house, it's your duty to shovel it within 24 hours of the snowfall. If you fail to comply, the city will clear the sidewalk and send you the bill.

7. Clothelines prohibited in Mississauga

clothes-line-246x242Mississauga residents, you now have one less way to be environmentally friendly. Mississauga's city council restricted the use of outdoor clotheslines. Homeowners can have only one clothesline per home, they must be located in the backyard and no higher than three metres, and placed 1.25 metres from the property line.

About Sonia Bell

Sonia Bell is a NextHome contributor. She has her masters in Communications studies and loves exploring all things real estate – from home décor trends to neighbourhood and market news.

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