POSTED: May 20, 2025

Fix the bubble zone by-law

Toronto City Council is voting on a deeply flawed by-law that would create “bubble” no-protest zones to protect places of worship from violent protests. While the idea of a by-law is good, this proposed by-law creates a complicated and time-consuming process to apply for a bubble zone. What it means in practice is that it would rarely be used. Other cities like Vaughan and Calgary have bubble laws that work.

Please fill out the form below and send a letter to all of city council asking them to fix this bubble zone by-law to make it meaningful.

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Subject: Fix the bubble zone by-law

Message

Dear Councillor,

I am emailing you urgently about the upcoming vote on the proposed bubble zone by-law, happening at council this week. This is a problem that has plagued the city for the last year and a half, and because of lack of leadership on many levels has been magnified. To be clear, this is not just a Jewish problem, it is a city problem. 

The bylaw puts an onus on vulnerable institutions and communities to work through the bureaucracy to ensure they are protected. Creating more red tape is not the answer. This new bylaw is prohibitive and in some cases unrealistic. I am emailing today to ask you to consider amending the bylaw to ensure that it is able to protect those who are vulnerable.

There are a few areas, which I would ask you to consider amending.

1. The bylaw would not impose blanket restrictions across the city but instead asks individual institutions to request a bubble zone by demonstrating they’ve been affected by a protest within the previous 90 days, meaning that if an institution is going to be a target, but hasn’t in the last 90 days they won’t receive the permit. Additionally, making them consistently apply when the permit expires is a burden on vulnerable communities, especially when most often they are only made aware of a protest being planned a day or so before it happens, and realistically City Hall does not work at that speed.

2. This proposal only would give a 20 metre protection zone, rather than the 100 metre in other jurisdictions. This still leaves those entering or exiting the space to be verbally harassed and targeted, essentially providing no protection at all.

3. It isn’t clear what will count as a primary function. If a building is a community centre, but also has a school or daycare inside, are they guaranteed protection? 

Citizens of this city should not have to beg to feel safe. It is enough of platitudes saying “this is not who we are” and long past the time for action. 

As you go into the debate on this motion, ask yourself if you would be against this motion if any other community or perceived political issue being targeted was  the catalyst for the need for bubble zones.

Sincerely,