Edmonton city council has approved a number of amendments to the business licence bylaw to regulate the sale of bear spray and create a registry. The City of Edmonton said the amendments aim to regulate the business activities surrounding the sale of bear spray to improve public safety and limit the adverse impacts of spray use in public places. “Maintaining the safety and well-being of Edmontonians is key to ensuring our city remains an inviting and liveable city,” said Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi in a Wednesday press release. “Regulating and enforcing the possession and use of OC (Oleoresin Capsicum) spray will not only reduce its illegal use but help make our whole community stronger and safer.”The City of Edmonton said the new amendments include adding a business licence category to regulate businesses that choose to sell OC spray products. It added they prohibit the sale of OC spray to a person under 18 years old. They require retail stores to have an employee who is at least 18 years old to oversee these sales. Retail stores will have to record transactions involving them, including the serial number; brand name; quantity; date; and a buyer’s name, photo identification type, and his or her identification number or date of birth.The City of Edmonton went on to say it will require retail stores secure all OC spray products and prevent people from having direct access to them. Additionally, it said they will have to provide a buyers guide with messaging on appropriate and inappropriate uses for them and the consequences of using them on another person. It said the bylaw creates consistency in the information captured by businesses during sales of these products, putting them on equal footing. This consistency might help identify the purchasers of them where reasonable grounds exist for an investigation.Bylaw violations related to transaction recording, product security, and the OC spray buyers guide would be subject to a fine of $1,000 for a first offence. Violations of the minimum age requirements for the buyer and seller would be subject to a fine of $2,000 for a first time offence. As is required by the bylaw, fine amounts would be doubled for subsequent offences.Saskatchewan residents were restricted from carrying bear spray in public places in March. READ MORE: Saskatchewan prohibits bear spray in public, citing ‘thousands’ of incidents and robberiesNew provincial regulations restricted the possession of bear spray in public urban spaces following what police said were thousands of public disturbances involving it. The regulations would limit where it could be bought, sold, transported, and stored. They would prohibit defacing or altering bear spray bottles to hide or disguise their identity.
Edmonton city council has approved a number of amendments to the business licence bylaw to regulate the sale of bear spray and create a registry. The City of Edmonton said the amendments aim to regulate the business activities surrounding the sale of bear spray to improve public safety and limit the adverse impacts of spray use in public places. “Maintaining the safety and well-being of Edmontonians is key to ensuring our city remains an inviting and liveable city,” said Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi in a Wednesday press release. “Regulating and enforcing the possession and use of OC (Oleoresin Capsicum) spray will not only reduce its illegal use but help make our whole community stronger and safer.”The City of Edmonton said the new amendments include adding a business licence category to regulate businesses that choose to sell OC spray products. It added they prohibit the sale of OC spray to a person under 18 years old. They require retail stores to have an employee who is at least 18 years old to oversee these sales. Retail stores will have to record transactions involving them, including the serial number; brand name; quantity; date; and a buyer’s name, photo identification type, and his or her identification number or date of birth.The City of Edmonton went on to say it will require retail stores secure all OC spray products and prevent people from having direct access to them. Additionally, it said they will have to provide a buyers guide with messaging on appropriate and inappropriate uses for them and the consequences of using them on another person. It said the bylaw creates consistency in the information captured by businesses during sales of these products, putting them on equal footing. This consistency might help identify the purchasers of them where reasonable grounds exist for an investigation.Bylaw violations related to transaction recording, product security, and the OC spray buyers guide would be subject to a fine of $1,000 for a first offence. Violations of the minimum age requirements for the buyer and seller would be subject to a fine of $2,000 for a first time offence. As is required by the bylaw, fine amounts would be doubled for subsequent offences.Saskatchewan residents were restricted from carrying bear spray in public places in March. READ MORE: Saskatchewan prohibits bear spray in public, citing ‘thousands’ of incidents and robberiesNew provincial regulations restricted the possession of bear spray in public urban spaces following what police said were thousands of public disturbances involving it. The regulations would limit where it could be bought, sold, transported, and stored. They would prohibit defacing or altering bear spray bottles to hide or disguise their identity.
