Alberta town proposes ‘politically neutral’ flag and crosswalk bylaw
The Town of Didsbury is proposing a new bylaw that would restrict flags on municipal property and require standard crosswalk designs in the town.
Didsbury, which is located around 70 kilometres north of Calgary, announced the bylaw in a release on March 11, 2026.
The Public Space Neutrality Bylaw would only allow official government flags, like the Town of Didsbury flag, the Alberta flag, and the Canadian flag, to be flown on Town-owned buildings and properties.
On top of this, crosswalks and roads would need to maintain standardized markings on municipal streets. The Town says the bylaw is aimed at keeping municipal facilities and infrastructure politically neutral.
In Canada, crosswalks are standardized by municipal and provincial authorities and typically feature white painted lines.
rawf8/Shutterstock
- You might also like:
- Calgary detached home prices raced ahead of condos in the past decade
- These four Alberta cities are seeing the biggest drop in house sales
- 7 awesome hikes near Calgary to conquer this spring
“Our town government exists to represent everyone who lives here,” said Didsbury Mayor Chris Little in a release. “Maintaining politically neutral municipal spaces helps ensure every resident, regardless of their political beliefs or personal views, feels represented by their local government.”
If passed, the bylaw would only apply to flags displayed on municipal buildings, flagpoles, and Town-owned facilities, as well as to the design of municipal crosswalks and roadway markings; it would not affect private property.
“Our national, provincial, and municipal flags belong to everyone,” Mayor Little added. “They represent the freedoms and rights that allow our diverse community to live, work, and participate together.”
The Public Space Neutrality Bylaw received first and second readings at the Town’s March 10, 2026, regular council meeting and is set to be brought back on March 24, 2026, for its third reading.
The move has sparked concern by some in the small town, with the Didsbury Civic Literacy Network issuing a news release stating that the legislation has sent “shockwaves through the community.”
This isn’t the first time an Alberta town has moved to restrict flags and crosswalks. In 2024, both the towns of Barrhead and Westlock looked into passing similar bylaws.
You can view the full release online.