City councillors in Bathurst, N.B., have voted unanimously to keep controversial restrictions on trick-or-treating, but have loosened some of the rules.
The amended bylaws will set the city’s controversial Halloween curfew one hour later, at 8 p.m., and allow teenagers up to the age of 16 to trick-or-treat. Previous bylaws restricted trick-or-treating to children 14 and under, and set a cut-off time of 7 p.m.
The city will now impose a $200 fine on anyone over the age of 16 who is caught trick-or-treating or anyone caught wearing a “facial disguise” in public after the 8 p.m. curfew.
City officials would not comment Tuesday, but police said they intend to use the bylaw as a last resort.
“If we see them, say, stealing candy from other kids or something like that, that’s the situation where obviously this isn’t alright,” said Jeff Chiasson of Bathurst Police.
At a local high school, feelings are mixed. Justin Jacques, a grade nine student, said the new bylaw is an improvement because some kids still go trick-or-treating at age 15.
With a report from CTV Atlantic’s Cami Kepke
