The B.C. government says it plans to introduce legislation creating protest buffer zones around schools and places of worship, modelled on earlier laws restricting protests near abortion clinics and COVID-19 health services.

Premier David Eby announced Monday that the government intends to table two bills in the legislature: Bill 12, extending the Safe Access to Schools Act, and Bill 13, the proposed Safe Access to Places of Public Worship Act.

If passed, the laws would create 20-metre access zones around school property and qualifying religious buildings where certain types of protest activity could be restricted.

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“The ability for kids to learn and the ability for everyone to pray without harassment or intimidation is fundamental to who we are as Canadians and British Columbians,” Eby said. “These new protections will help ensure people can attend school and gather in prayer and celebration in peace.”

The proposal follows an open letter sent to Eby in April 2024 by religious and cultural leaders, including Archbishop J. Michael Miller, asking the province to extend safety protections to places of worship and community institutions. The letter cited vandalism, disruptive protests, and backlash linked to global conflicts, and urged the government to consider measures similar to those used during the pandemic to protect hospitals and health-care facilities. The letter did not specifically call for protest buffer zones.

According to a government backgrounder, the legislation is modelled on earlier laws including the Access to Abortion Services Act and the Access to Services (COVID-19) Act, which established similar zones around health-care facilities.

Under the proposed legislation, places of worship such as churches, mosques, temples, gurdwaras, and synagogues could establish access zones by posting restricted area signage.

Within the zone, which would include a 20-metre buffer around the property, police could issue tickets or make warrantless arrests if individuals engage in prohibited behaviour, including:

• physically obstructing access to the property
• disrupting prayers or meetings taking place at the site
• intimidating people attempting to enter• attempting to persuade people not to visit the place of worship

The attorney general would also be able to seek a court injunction to remove a protest.

Attorney General Niki Sharma said the government is trying to balance freedom of expression with people’s right to safely access schools and places of worship.

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“I truly believe that maintaining freedom of expression as a fundamental part of our society is very important,” Sharma said. “But we have seen situations where people of faith seeking to access their place of worship have faced intimidation, threats and hate speech.”

The law, would create “kind of like sanctuary zones” around places of worship while still allowing protests to occur outside the restricted area.

“This is a 20-metre perimeter,” Sharma said in response to questions from reporters. “Take it outside the 20-metre perimeter and you’re just fine.”

The government says the proposed legislation responds to what it describes as “a rising trend of vandalism and other harmful behaviour targeting religious buildings.”

In his opening remarks, Eby pointed to “disturbing incidents that have raised concerns here in British Columbia and across the country,” including shots being fired at three Ontario synagogues. “We have seen similar disturbing events here in British Columbia.” The premier did not give specifics although Vancouver's Schara Tzedeck Synagogue was attacked in May 2024 when someone poured fuel on the doors and set them on fire.

The government also plans to extend the Safe Access to Schools Act, introduced in 2024 after protests outside several school district offices over the province’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) education policies.

The law, which has a sunset clause of July 1, 2026, created 20-metre access zones around school property where certain disruptive conduct is prohibited while students and staff are present. 

Education Minister Lisa Beare said a two-year extension is needed because protests outside schools have continued.

“Students and staff deserve to feel safe and supported at schools,” Beare said. “We need students to feel loved and respected so that they can thrive in their studies.”

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According to the government, more than 40 protest disruptions outside K-12 schools have occurred since 2023, sometimes requiring police intervention.The province has not publicly released a list of those incidents.

If passed, the new law covering places of worship would take effect immediately and be subject to legislative review in 2030.