Weird Laws CanadaIllegal Things CanadaFunny Canadian LawsStrange Laws OntarioCanada RulesThings You Didn't Know Were Illegal
😳 Which Category Surprises You Most?
Still on the BooksSome of these laws date from the 1800s. They were never repealed and technically remain enforceable — even if never used.
Local BylawsCity and town bylaws make things illegal that are totally fine everywhere else in Canada. Whistling in Petrolia? Yes, actually illegal.
Genuinely EnforcedNot all of these are just amusing oddities. Baby walkers, coin payment limits, and DUI rules carry real consequences in 2026.
Newcomers Take NoteSome of these will genuinely surprise people from other countries — particularly around coins, baby gear, and border crossings.
$500K+
Alberta spends annually
on rat control
25
Max loonies ($1 coins)
in one transaction
1869
Year Canada made it
illegal to scare the King
2018
Year fake witchcraft
was finally decriminalized
Canada is known globally for being polite, reasonable, and sensible. So you might be surprised to learn that this country has laws banning pet rats, criminalized pretend witchcraft until 2018, and still technically prohibits dragging dead horses down a specific Toronto street — but only on Sundays. Some of these are historical relics that never got cleaned up. Others are genuinely enforced local bylaws that could catch you off guard.
Here are the most shocking, surprising, and genuinely weird things that are illegal in Canada.
🐀 Pet Rats Are Illegal in Alberta
Still Actively Enforced
Alberta has been rat-free since 1950, thanks to a strict province-wide control program — and it remains rat-free to this day, making it one of the only populated regions in the world with no wild rat population. Owning pet rats is illegal under the Alberta Pest Control Act. The province spends over
$500,000 annually on rat control and patrols. If you move to Alberta from elsewhere in Canada, your pet rat is not welcome. This is not a joke law — violations can result in fines and your pet rat being confiscated.
😲 The Full List — 15 Surprising Canadian Laws
🗺️ Federal — Criminal Code
Scaring the King Can Be Treason
It is technically illegal to intentionally alarm the monarch (currently King Charles III). This 19th-century holdover from colonial treason law remains in the Criminal Code. In practice, zero Canadians have been prosecuted for this in modern times — but it's still there.
Origin: British treason laws inherited at Confederation (1867)
🗺️ Federal — Criminal Code
Comic Books Depicting Crimes Are Banned
Section 163 of the Criminal Code prohibits publishing a comic book that "exclusively" depicts criminal acts — originally aimed at protecting children from glorified crime content. The provision is rarely enforced, but technically Batman could be in trouble.
Origin: 1949 moral panic about crime comics corrupting youth
🗺️ Federal — Currency Act
You Can't Pay with Too Many Coins
Canada's Currency Act limits how many coins you can use in a single transaction. Maximum: 25 loonies ($1 coins), 10 quarters ($0.25) in a single payment. Retailers can legally refuse payment that exceeds these limits. Your giant jar of loonies for rent? Your landlord can say no.
Origin: Practical regulation to prevent businesses from being overwhelmed with loose change
📍 Ontario, Canada-wide
Baby Walkers Are Banned
Since 2004, it has been illegal to sell, advertise, or import baby walkers in Canada. Health Canada banned them after studies showed they were responsible for thousands of infant injuries annually — primarily falls down stairs. Canada is one of the few countries in the world with an outright ban. Fines up to $100,000 for violation.
Origin: Health Canada safety ban, 2004 — responding to ER data on infant stair falls
📍 Alberta
Owning a Pet Rat
As described above — Alberta's Pest Control Act makes it illegal to own or keep a rat as a pet. The province's rat patrol is a real government program that has maintained a rat-free status since 1950. Moving to Calgary? Leave your rat behind.
Origin: Alberta Vermin Control Regulations (1942, amended 1950)
📍 Toronto
Dragging a Dead Horse on Yonge St — Sundays Only
One of the most quoted Canadian weird laws: dragging a dead horse along Yonge Street is illegal — but only on Sundays. Technically, you could do it on a Monday and face no bylaw violation. York Regional Police have confirmed this law is real. The origin appears to be old Sunday Sabbath regulations.
Origin: 19th-century Sunday blue laws about commercial and "offensive" activities
📍 Petrolia, Ontario
Whistling, Singing or Shouting After 11 PM
This small Ontario town enforces a local bylaw prohibiting excessive noise — including whistling, shouting, or singing — between 11 PM and 7 AM. While noise bylaws exist everywhere, Petrolia's is notably specific in its phrasing. A cheerful midnight hum could technically earn you a warning.
Origin: Local noise ordinance — residential peace and quiet regulation
📍 Oshawa, Ontario
Climbing Trees in Public Parks
Oshawa's municipal bylaw prohibits climbing trees in city parks or attaching anything to a tree on city property. Aimed at preventing injuries and protecting municipal trees. A child shimmying up an oak in a Oshawa park is technically violating a bylaw. City officials have defended it as a liability measure.
Origin: Municipal liability protection bylaw
📍 Souris, PEI
Building a Snowman Taller Than 30 Inches
In the town of Souris (Prince Edward Island, population ~1,200), snowmen must stay under 30 inches tall. The bylaw was created to prevent blocked sightlines and public safety obstructions. Winter creativity has a height limit here. Keep your snow sculptures small and scenic.
Origin: Local public safety bylaw — sightline obstruction
📍 Nova Scotia
Painting a Wooden Ladder
In Nova Scotia, it's illegal to paint a wooden ladder. The reasoning is practical: paint can conceal structural weaknesses like cracks, rot, or splits that would otherwise be visible — creating a hidden safety hazard. This law was written to protect workers in the era before metal ladders dominated.
Origin: Occupational safety regulation — preventing hidden structural defects
🗺️ Federal — Criminal Code
Fake Witchcraft Was Illegal Until 2018
Until 2018, Canada's Criminal Code contained a provision making it illegal to "pretend to practice" witchcraft. The law targeted fraud — people who charged money for fake magical services. The key word was "pretend": genuine spiritual practices were protected under religious freedom. Repealed in 2018 as part of a Criminal Code housekeeping bill.
Origin: Anti-fraud provision from 1892 — targeting spiritual con artists
🗺️ National Parks
Bringing Llamas (or Pigs, Goats, or Birds) to National Parks
Canada's National Parks Act prohibits bringing livestock and certain animals into national parks — including llamas, sheep, goats, pigs, and live birds. This isn't just an odd rule: it protects native wildlife from disease transmission and invasive species. Parks Canada can fine violators. Plan your Banff hiking trip accordingly.
Origin: Parks Canada Act — wildlife and ecosystem protection
🗺️ Federal — Criminal Code
Attaching a Coin to a String
Under Canada's Criminal Code, it's illegal to attach a coin to a string or thread for the purpose of using it in a vending machine or similar device. The law targets a specific historical scam where people retrieved coins after a transaction. Still on the books and technically punishable as fraud.
Origin: Fraud prevention in the Criminal Code — vending machine coin scam
🗺️ Vancouver & Toronto
Feeding Pigeons in Public
Both Vancouver and Toronto have bylaws prohibiting the feeding of pigeons in public spaces. The rationale is public health and pest control — a well-fed urban pigeon population creates significant sanitation issues. Regularly enforced in both cities, particularly near transit hubs.
Origin: Public health and urban wildlife management bylaws
📍 Ontario (provincial parks)
Picking Trilliums
The trillium is Ontario's provincial flower — and picking one in a provincial park or nature reserve is illegal. The fine can be significant. You can pick trilliums on your own private property, but if you see one on a trail in Algonquin Park and pick it, you're breaking Ontario law. Leave no trace applies literally here.
Origin: Ontario Parks Act — protecting provincial flora and biodiversity
🚨 Genuinely Enforced Laws Newcomers Should Know
😄 Honourable mention: The Ottawa "ice cream on Bank Street on Sundays" law is actually an urban myth — it never existed. Despite being widely cited online, researchers and city officials have confirmed no such bylaw was ever passed. Sometimes the internet makes things up. The rest of this list, however, is real.
⚡ Quick Reference
🐀
Alberta Pet Rats
Illegal — province
rat-free since 1950
👑
Scare the King
Technically treason
since 1867
👶
Baby Walkers
Banned nationwide
$100K fine
🪙
Coin Limit
Max 25 loonies
per transaction
🧙
Fake Witchcraft
Illegal 1892–2018
Now repealed
🌺
Trillium Picking
Illegal in ON
provincial parks
🐎
Dead Horse / Sunday
Yonge St, Toronto
Sundays only
🎵
Whistling at Night
After 11pm — Petrolia
Ontario bylaw
📖 Read Next
Canada job search in 2026 : Indeed, LinkedIn, and Job Bank. Best sites, newcomer strategies, resume tips, and how to crack the hidden job market.
Disclaimer: This post is for entertainment and general informational purposes. While the laws described are based on real sources (RunSensible, Agha Law Firm, Roafly, Amber Student, Esseindia.com, 2026), some may be unenforced, historical in nature, or subject to interpretation. Canadian laws vary by province and municipality. This is not legal advice. Always consult a qualified lawyer for any legal matter.
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