VICTORIA — The British Columbia government is bringing in legislation to prevent intimidation, mental and physical harassment, and obstruction of people from going to their temples, churches and other places of worship.
The 20-metre protection zones for religious sites represent an expansion of rules set up for schools in 2024 to help ensure behaviour in public spaces is safe and respectful.
Standing in front of a group of religious leaders from around Greater Victoria, Premier David Eby said Monday that there is a disturbing trend across different religious groups where people are intimidated away from their places of worship.
“We have had concerns raised by an array of religious groups. You can see behind me, faith leaders from a diversity of faiths in the province represented, because they all share these concerns, and you can’t legislate common sense. But in this case, we are trying to,” the premier said.
Eby said he hopes the legislation sends the same message that was sent when a similar law was created for schools, which is “give your head a shake, it’s not the best place for your protest.”
The announcement comes after three separate Toronto-area synagogues were shot at since March 2.
The shootings prompted police in Vancouver and Victoria to send additional patrols to Jewish places of worship and community organizations.
Rabbi Meir Kaplan of Chabad of Vancouver Island said there is no question that the last two years have seen some concerning events, noting the firebombing at the Schara Tzedeck Synagogue in Vancouver.
Kaplan also pointed to cases of online intimidation and harassment.
“I don’t think this bill will solve all the problems, but I do think that this is one step in the right direction of our province standing for the rights of religions freedom, which is really the foundations of our rights as a citizen of this country.”
Once passed, the legislation would allow police to intervene to curb disruptive behaviour, just as they are under the Safe Access to Schools Act, which passed in 2024.
While there was a sunset clause on the school legislation, the government also plans to extend that to 2028.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 9, 2026.
Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press
