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Old 05-22-2020, 05:23 PM
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AB2506 AB2506 is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Calgary AB
Posts: 2,701
Default This doesn't answer your question for archery.

First, for those who have piped up from other municipalities, what you can or can't do in your municipality does not necessarily transfer to other municipalities. Even if Federal or Provincial laws/regulations say that you can hunt in a municipality, a municipality can write more restrictive laws, but cannot write less restrictive laws.

I was a Special Constable/Peace Officer in various capacities for the City of Calgary from September 1990 to December 2018. At one point, I was authorized to use shotguns and high performance pellet rifles to control pests like pigeons, skunks etc and livestock dangerous to the public safety under the authority of the Chief of Police.

In Calgary, the Bylaw that deals with most of this discussion is the Streets Bylaw - 20M88. Yes, the 88 means it was written in 1988. Kind of pathetic, but it is what it is.

The Bylaw is very clear about firearms and pellet rifles etc, if it is not used on an approved range, it is illegal to use in the City of Calgary.

You cannot use archery equipment and other associated weapons on public property in the City of Calgary. Unfortunately it is silent about archery on private land.

It has been general knowledge in Bylaw, and Fish and Wildlife that hunting is not allowed in Calgary. Bylaw had no role in enforcing it, but in discussing this issue with a former coworker who is still employed as a Calgary Peace Officer, Fish and Wildlife has investigated hunting in the City in the past (think about the deer with an arrow in it near Riverbend several years ago). Unfortunately, I've grown old enough that any Fish and Wildlife Officers I knew have retired, I no longer know any in the F&W Calgary office. Archery has been a sticky topic at Bylaw, and we've been unable to nail it down. Suggestions to amend the Bylaw so that it is clear one way or another, have fallen on deaf ears.

Another possibility is the Land Use Bylaw. It is hundreds of pages long and one Bylaw I never enforced. I can't think of any Development Inspectors that I knew that are still employed. Time marches on.

You could request clarification from your City Councillor, they will direct your inquiry and try to get you an authoritative answer.

The following is the applicable sections from the Street Use Bylaw.


Calgary Streets Bylaw 20M88

DANGEROUS AND UNLAWFUL PRACTICES

8. Unless otherwise lawfully authorized, no person shall convey a firearm, pellet gun, B.B. gun, air gun, or gas operated gun in which a round of ammunition for such a gun or firearm is in the chamber within the City.


9. (1) No person shall discharge a firearm, pellet gun, B.B. gun, air gun or a gas powered gun within the City.

(2) Notwithstanding Subsection (1), the Chief of Police may authorize the discharge of a firearm or gun for animal control purposes, special events or within the range facilities of a gun club or similar organization.

(3) An authorization under Subsection (2) shall be in writing and may be in the form of a specific authorization or an annual permit for a specified location, event or activity.

(4) Subject to Subsection (2) an authorization under this section may be granted, with or without conditions, where, having regard to the circumstances and location of the discharge activity, it is deemed, in the absolute discretion of the Chief of Police, to be in the public interest.

(5) The Chief of Police may further delegate any authority under this Section to a designated person or position in The Calgary Police Service.
(32M96, 1996 June 24)


10. No person shall shoot an arrow from a bow of any nature, over, across, or along any portion of a Street, public place, or upon any land owned by The City unless otherwise authorized pursuant to a bylaw of The City of Calgary, or in the case of a Park, unless authorized by the Director, Calgary Parks or his designate.
(23M2003, 2004 January 12)
(7M2016, 2016 February 18)


11. Subject to Subsection 11.1, no person shall discharge a sling-shot, bolaro, or device of any kind which will propel a projectile that may cause injury or harm, over, across, or along any portion of a Street, public space, or upon any land owned by the City.
(23M2003, 2004 January 12)


11.1 The Director, Calgary Parks or his designate may permit, subject to any conditions he considers appropriate, the discharge of devices or projectiles within a Park or a specific area of a Park.
(23M2003, 2004 January 12)
(7M2016, 2016 February 18)
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