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Burnaby doesn’t need new bylaw banning ‘disgusting’ flyers, says city staff report

Some residents have said they don't want these flyers left on their doorsteps

A City of Burnaby staff report is recommending against enacting a new bylaw to ban what have been called “disgusting” anti-abortion flyers being hand-delivered to local homeowners for the past few years.

Staff was tasked with reviewing the situation after a request from the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada (ARCC) after a few residents reported having these flyers left on their doorsteps and in their mailboxes. The flyers contain graphic images of fetuses and some parents have told the NOW that their children had picked up the flyers after being dropped off.

The ARCC letter requested the city research how it could regulate the display and distribution of graphic images. ARCC suggested enacting a “bylaw banning delivery of unwanted flyers to homes with a ‘No Flyers’ or similar notice," the report says, and enacting or amending a bylaw "limiting public signage."

“Staff reached out to various local municipalities to inquire if any bylaws have been put in place in surrounding communities to regulate the delivery of unaddressed advertising materials, such as flyers, handbills, brochures, leaflets and similar types of advertisement literature,” the report said. “The municipalities of Vancouver, New Westminster, Delta, North Vancouver, Coquitlam, and Saanich all responded and advised that they do not have any such bylaws. The municipalities of Calgary, Halifax, Winnipeg, and Ottawa have enacted bylaws that prohibit the delivery of advertising materials to any private residence that has placed a sign on the premises advising that the material is not wanted. These bylaws generally place restrictions on distributors, or in some cases the individual(s) engaged or hired for the purpose of delivering, from leaving advertisement materials at a premises where a sign is displayed indicating the occupant(s) do not wish to receive any unaddressed advertising material.”

Some items are exempt in these bylaws, including election advertising.

Staff also reviewed any complaints received from Burnaby residents and found one from June 2020. The report recommends not enacting a bylaw because there has only been the one formal complaint filed with the city.

“Without broad-based complaints from the community, the implementation of a bylaw regulating unaddressed advertising is not needed at this time,” the report said.

The report will be discussed at Monday’s regular council meeting.