Weirdest Laws and Regulations in Canada

Students going to Canada to study are most likely to search for the rules and regulations of the country. After all, it is easy to fall victim to a traffic law that you are not familiar with, pay a fine or two or get a scolding from a police officer. It is amusing, however, when you stumble upon old laws that are still active about normal practices that are forbidden or natural happenings that are supposedly illegal. Laws and regulations are put together to keep order in society and protect people. However, the following laws keep you wondering about the reason and the story behind them. Here are some of the weirdest laws and regulations in Canada.

1. Pet Rats

Did you know that it's illegal to have pet rats in Alberta? In Port Coquitlam, you can keep no more than 4 pet rats at a time. Makes you wonder what rat-catastrophe happened for this law to be in place!

2. Quiet in Ontario

It is illegal to whistle in Petrolia, Ontario. Yes, you read that right! That doesn't mean you'll be chased by a SWAT team while whistling the tune of your favorite song walking down the street. However, there is an actual law written against it, Article 3, 772.3.6 on the town's website, stating that, "Yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or singing is prohibited at all times." Seems like Ontario takes enjoying peace and quiet to a whole new level!

3. Coin Control

One of the weirdest illegal things in Canada is to pay for purchases with a lot of coins. You are only allowed, by Canadian law, to use a maximum of 25 loonies (The Canadian dollar coin) and only 5 coins of 25 cents. Don't worry, the secret service won't track you down if you happen to pay $30 in loonie coins, but some vendors might use this law against you if they, for some reason, hate coins! So better to just spend them on gas station chocolates instead.

4. Parrot Noise

If you own a parrot in Oak Bay, you could get fined $100 if it talks too loudly. Someone must've had a very loud parrot if they had to make a law about it!

5. Big Snowmen  

Well, it seems like someone must have had something against having snow fun because there's an actual law saying you can't have a snowman that is higher than 30 inches. There seems to be definitely a story there, maybe a fear of giant snowmen taking over the world! There was even a law against throwing around snow, but then again police would just be arresting 8 year-olds!

6. Painting

It is against the law to paint a wooden ladder in Alberta. Meanwhile, Ottawa apparently has something against the color purple since it is illegal to paint your house and garage doors in it! If you live in Beaconsfield, Quebec, someone may actually sue you for painting your house more than two colors!

7. The Climb

Oshawa has a law that bans climbing trees, the local law states, "No person shall interfere with a tree or part of a tree located on municipal property, including but not limited to attaching, affixing or placing upon in any manner any object or thing to a tree or part of a tree, and climbing the tree." Even though it may seem a strange law, it's the least strange one because tree-climbing could be dangerous. 

8. No Ice Cream on Sundays

It is illegal to eat ice cream on Bank street in Ottawa on Sunday. Any other day is good, just keep it indoors on Sunday.

9. Slow Down the Wi-Fi

Uxbridge, Ontario has a law that forbids having Wi-Fi connection faster than 56K. 

10. No Reptiles in Public

It is against Fredericton, New Brunswick law to 'wear' a snake in public or carry a pet lizard. You'll have to get a fake snake if you're planning to re-create that iconic Britney Spears' performance.

11. Maple Syrup Laws

Canada doesn't mess about when it comes to maple syrup; there is an entire act of regulations dedicated to the tasty sauce. There is one that states that it's illegal to claim a product is maple syrup when it's not; 'No person shall market a product in import, export or interprovincial trade in such a manner that it is likely to be mistaken for a maple product for which a grade or standard is established under these Regulations.' So don't go around telling people that chocolate sauce is maple syrup or you'll hear the sirens!

12. No Casual Wear

In Halifax, Nova Scotia, taxi drivers are not allowed to wear t-shirts. Number 24 in Halifax's Regional Municipality Bylaws for Taxis and Limousines states that drivers must be dressed neatly and tidy at all times; they have to wear shoes and socks, keep their attire in, and absolutely cannot wear a t-shirt. The poor taxi drivers probably have it rough in the summertime!

Despite the amusement we feel upon reading about these laws, they can actually be enforced if someone actually goes to the police to complain about your loud parrot or your purple garage door! However, Canada's laws about the things that matter are actually great. In fact, Canada is one of the safest countries in the world, so you have nothing to worry about if you're planning to live or study in Canada. All you have to do is figure out what you want to study, which university you will study at and which student accommodation in Canada you will stay in.