The City of Vaughan is considering banning protests within 100 metres of places of worship.

Mayor Steven Del Duca announced this morning that he was bringing forward a Member’s Resolution to Vaughan City Council. If passed, Del Duca says city staff would prepare a bylaw that prohibits unpeaceful demonstrations within 100 metres of certain vulnerable infrastructure, including places of worship, schools, and hospitals.

In a statement, Del Duca said the bylaw would prohibit demonstrations of a nature that “are intended to intimidate insight, hatred, violence, or discrimination within 100 m of a religious institution, school, childcare centre, or hospital.”

Del Duca says the right to peaceful protest is a fundamental freedom afforded to all Canadians, however that right does not come without limits. He says everyone, regardless of their faith or background, has a right to feel safe.