FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CUPE Local 79, CUPE-Ontario, OCHU-CUPE stand firmly opposed to the City’s proposed by-law that would prohibit protests and picketing within designated “bubble zones.”
Any version of this by-law is unnecessary, unconstitutional, and unjustified. The right to peacefully protest and picket is a fundamental freedom protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Enacting a by-law that restricts this right without clear, compelling, and evidence-based justification is a dangerous step toward silencing dissent.
Acts of violence, threats, or harassment are already illegal and are properly addressed by the Toronto Police Service. Adding a municipal by-law on top of existing criminal laws does not make the public safer; rather, it opens the door to targeted suppression of unionized workers, community groups, and others who speak out against injustice.
This proposal is deeply concerning for CUPE Local 79 members working as City of Toronto Municipal Licensing & Standards (MLS) by-law officers. MLS officers are not trained, equipped, or mandated to police protests. Peacekeeping at demonstrations should remain the responsibility of the Toronto Police, who already have the authority and resources to do so.
Should MLS officers be directed to enforce any version of this by-law, CUPE Local 79 will pursue all available legal avenues to protect our members and challenge the by-law’s validity. We will not allow our members to be used as political tools to restrict civil liberties or undermine lawful protest.
It is also deeply concerning to OCHU-CUPE who represent thousands of health care workers in Toronto. These health care staff already enjoy significantly restricted rights in collective bargaining and to refuse unsafe work. This by-law effectively removes their right to protest outside hospitals, long-term care and homecare workplaces over issues of safety, funding and collective bargaining. As such it represents an attack on our fundamental rights of free expression, guaranteed under the Charter.
CUPE-Ontario and OCHU stand firmly behind ensuring the rights of our members are upheld. We will not hesitate to challenge any by-law that restricts our members’ rights, in the courts or on the streets.
This by-law, if passed, threatens to erode democratic rights and will send a chilling message to workers and advocates across the city. We urge City Council to reject this proposal and focus instead on supporting public safety through existing laws. Not by restricting freedoms that generations of Canadians have fought to protect.
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Media contact:
Tor Sandberg
CUPE Local 79 Communications
tsandberg@cupelocal79.org
416-655-8338
