The City of Ottawa’s proposed ‘bubble zone’ bylaw will prohibit protests within 50 metres of places of worship, schools, childcare centres, hospitals and residential care facilities. A joint meeting of the emergency preparedness and protective services committee and the public works and infrastructure committee will be held on April 17 for councillors to vote on the city’s proposed “Safe Access to Social Infrastructure Bylaw,” which will set up zones where protests are prohibited near designated facilities. Last May, council directed staff to develop the “bubble zone” bylaw to prioritize safe access to vulnerable social infrastructure during protests and demonstrations. Staff are recommending the Safe Access Bylaw establish “safe access zones” to prohibit demonstrations within 50 metres from any access point to the designated facility, with an established timeline to prohibit protests. Demonstrations and rallies related to labour strike movements will be exempt under the bylaw. “The recommended bylaw focuses on ensuring safe access to vulnerable social infrastructure facilities by regulating behaviours that are occurring on the city’s highway or public property in the vicinity of the facility,” staff said in a report for the committees. Under the bylaw, the owners or operators of the facilities must apply to the City of Ottawa to establish a safe access zone, with no fee required to seek the designation. If approved, the Safe Access Bylaw would establish the 50 metres ‘bubble zone’ at places of worship, schools, childcare facilities, healthcare facilities and residential care abilities. The bylaw would prevent anyone from “hindering of obstructing access to a safe access zone,” according to staff. It would not prevent demonstrations at government facilities and diplomatic properties. While council directed staff to look at a ‘bubble zone’ bylaw prohibiting protests up to 80 metres from a location, staff said a 50-metre zone is consistent with other Ontario municipalities. “A 50-metre safe access zone represents a measured approach to allow protests to occur at a reasonable distance and protect access to safe access to social infrastructure, while also considering legal, alignment, and operational factors,” staff said. “While a demonstrator’s speech and signage are least impacted at 20 metres, 50 metres still allows participants to be seen and heard without requiring amplification or excessively large signs.” Proposed bylaw The proposed bylaw would focus on “conduct that impedes safe access” to the facilities and have a “time-limited application” to prohibit protests in the zone, according to a city report. Staff say the bylaw would “prevent anyone from hindering or obstructing access to a safe access zone” and prohibit the following behaviour within the 50-metre zone: According to staff, the “safe access zones” would be in effect from one hour before the facility opens until one hour after the facility closes at places of worship, schools, childcare centres and health care facilities. Staff say the “safe access zones” for residential facilities should apply at all times, “given that many of the residents cannot always leave by themselves and are therefore captive audiences.” The proposed “bubble zone” bylaw says the new rules would not apply to labour union strikes, information pickets or activities related to a labour dispute, and “transient marches passing through a ‘safe access zone.’” The owners and operators of the facilities would need to apply every 12 months for the “safe access zones” designation. The fine for violating the bylaw would range between $150 and $500, depending on the severity of the offence, staff said. Locations for the “safe access zones” will be posted on the City of Ottawa’s website, and the owner or operator of a facility would be notified of any sign requirements. If approved by council, the new bylaw would come into effect on Aug. 1, 2026. Facilities not covered under the bylaw Staff say the following facilities will not fall under the proposed Safe Access Bylaw: ‘Bubble zones’ across Canada City staff say other municipalities have introduced bylaws to address protests around vulnerable infrastructure. Toronto’s Access to Social Infrastructure Bylaw establishes access zones of 50 metres around specific houses of worship, childcare centres and community centres. In Toronto, 47 facilities have registered since the bylaw came into force last July, according to the City of Ottawa. The City of Brampton’s Protecting Places of Worship from Nuisance Demonstrations Bylaw prohibits nuisance demonstrations within 100 metres of a place of worship. Calgary’s Safe and Inclusive Bylaw prohibits protests “objecting to an idea or action related to human rights” within 100 metres of every community centre or library, said City of Ottawa staff. Calgary’s bylaw is in effect from one hour before the facility opens until one hour after they close.
