Voting Begins for Alberta Town’s Neutrality Bylaw Governing Rainbow Flags, Crosswalks

People walk past a Pride flag crosswalk in Calgary on Aug. 18, 2019. The Canadian Press/Dave Chidley

The residents of Barrhead, Alta., have begun casting their ballots on a proposal to establish a neutrality bylaw governing crosswalks and flags in their community.

The bylaw was developed after a group of residents presented town council with a petition in July, calling for neutral crosswalks and flags. The bylaw would prohibit the flying of flags on municipal property that do not relate to federal, provincial, or municipal governments, including rainbow crosswalks and Pride flags.

The petition was verified and council gave first reading to the bylaw in October. The Municipal Government Act stipulates that council was legally required to either pass the bylaw or put it to a plebiscite. They opted for the latter, according to a notice on the town’s website.

Advance voting began on Nov. 20, with the final vote being held Dec. 2.

Ard Doornbos, organizer of the Barrhead Citizens Group, which drafted the petition, said members expected a strong voter turnout and were hopeful the bylaw would pass.

If passed, the bylaw would limit crosswalks to a white ladder striped pattern, the municipality’s website said. The bylaw would also prohibit grandfathering of any current crosswalks or flags.

Two advance voting sessions were scheduled, including a second one on Nov. 28.

Doornbos told The Epoch Times in June the petition was started after rainbow crosswalks were painted in the town in recent years, which he said began creating unnecessary “divisiveness” in the community.

Barrhead’s citizens followed an example set by the neighbouring community of Westlock, which started a similar petition in 2023. After that petition was presented to Westlock council, it was decided to put the issue to a vote.

The Westlock plebiscite in February saw the bylaw pass by a narrow margin, with 663 votes in favour of the neutrality bylaw and 639 votes opposing it.

An Ontario municipality near Windsor also made changes to its flag flying policies in December of 2023. Lakeshore’s new policy states only flags of federal, provincial, or municipal governments are permitted.