{"id":617204,"date":"2026-04-20T19:55:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T19:55:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/617204\/"},"modified":"2026-04-20T19:55:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T19:55:13","slug":"6-strange-calgary-bylaws-you-probably-didnt-know-existed-daily-hive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/617204\/","title":{"rendered":"6 strange Calgary bylaws you probably didn’t know existed | Daily Hive"},"content":{"rendered":"

Calgary has its fair share of well-known rules, but tucked away in the city\u2019s bylaws are some that might catch you off guard.<\/p>\n

From what you can do with snow, to where your cat is allowed to wander, we\u2019ve rounded up six strange Calgary bylaws you probably didn\u2019t know existed.<\/p>\n

Keep your feet off public benches
\n\"calgary<\/p>\n

Ramon Cliff\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

Under Calgary\u2019s Public Behaviour Bylaw<\/a>, standing on or placing your feet on any tables, benches, planters, or sculptures in public areas is prohibited. If you decide to break the rules, it can result in a fine ranging from $50 to $300.<\/p>\n

Washing your car at home comes with rules
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

New Africa\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re planning to wash your car at home, there are a few rules you\u2019ll want to know before you break out the hose.<\/p>\n

Under the Stormwater Bylaw 37M2005,<\/a> only water is allowed for cleaning vehicles, and your car can\u2019t be \u201coverly dirty\u201d to begin with. The rules are meant to keep soap, even biodegradable kinds, out of the storm sewer system.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t follow them, fines can reach up to $3,000<\/p>\n

Painting wooden ladders isn\u2019t allowed in Alberta
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Klochkov SCS\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

Not only does this rule affect Calgary, but it also applies across the entire province. Under part eight of Alberta\u2019s Occupational Health and Safety Code<\/a>, \u201ca person must not paint a wooden ladder.\u201d However, wooden ladders may be preserved with a transparent protective coating. This rule is in place so that any cracks, wear, or damage remain visible.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Your cat isn\u2019t allowed to be \u201cat large\u201d
\n\"warm<\/p>\n

Anna Zelena\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

According to the City of Calgary\u2019s Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw, Cats aren\u2019t meant to roam freely off their owner\u2019s property. So if your cat is out living its best unsupervised life, it technically counts as \u201crunning at large,\u201d<\/a> and owners can face a $150 fine.<\/p>\n

No rodent companions are allowed
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Marcus_The_Photographer\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

Alberta is widely known for being rat-free<\/a>, and pets are no exception. Under provincial regulations<\/a>, pet rats are prohibited. If you\u2019re caught with a rat, it can lead to some pretty hefty fines.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t shovel your snow onto the street
\n\"Calgary<\/p>\n

Primestock Photography\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

Calgary can get some pretty nasty snow, but did you know there are restrictions on where you can shovel your snow? You\u2019re not allowed to shovel snow<\/a> from your private property, like your driveway, onto public streets.<\/p>\n

However, snow from public spaces, like sidewalks, can be moved onto other public areas, like the roads.<\/p>\n

Did any of these strange bylaws surprise you? Let us know in the comments below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Calgary has its fair share of well-known rules, but tucked away in the city\u2019s bylaws are some that…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":617205,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194293],"tags":[49,2798,48],"class_list":{"0":"post-617204","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-calgary","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-calgary","10":"tag-canada"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/617204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=617204"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/617204\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/617205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=617204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=617204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=617204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}