Ontario City Votes Against Allowing Kids to Play Hockey in the Streets

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TJ Tucker
November 13, 2024 (3:51 PM)

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Despite a report from staff recommending the bylaw be changed, councillors for the City of Mississauga, Ont. have voted to keep a street hockey ban in place

One of the biggest complaints from the older generations is that kids these days aren't spending enough time outside. Despite that, councillors for the City of Mississauga, Ontario have voted to keep in place a bylaw that restricts sports like hockey and basketball on residential streets.

The Mississauga News states that a report from city staff recommended "deregulation" on street sports, meaning it wouldn't be legal or illegal.

"Council rejected the recommendation in a five to seven vote, with detractors of the proposal saying there were too many risks involved and the recommended position too vague."

According to Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parish, the city is liable if there's an accident while kids are playing street hockey.

"I know, cause we've gone into it in detail, that we're liable. It's not so much the cost, it's the loss of a life. So, if I could refer this back to staff and you come back with something that's airtight, I would consider it."

The ban on street sports in Mississauga, Ont., has been in place since 1979. In 2010, an amendment to the bylaw included a prohibition on equipment like hockey or basketball nets on residential streets.

While I can understand the concerns over liability, street hockey has been played in cities, towns, and villages across Canada for decades.

It's also important to note that city staff told Mississauga councillors that complaints about street sports make up less than one per cent of the 18,586 service requests to Mississauga's enforcement office in 2023.