One of the things governments do is ban things.
Whether each ban is reasonable is debatable. In Vancouver, there are currently bans on fireworks (except with certain permits), nuclear weapons, and the sale of certain butane lighters.
In the past, a host of other things were banned. Some still make sense; some only made sense then. Some may not have ever made sense.
Here are five things that were once banned in Vancouver (or a neighbouring city).
1. No cider with beer (1925)
Back when B.C. was recovering from prohibition, the return of alcohol sales was carefully controlled.
At one point, selling alcoholic drinks by the glass was restricted to certain towns, including Vancouver.
In addition, in 1925, a new rule was put in place.
"Cider can not be sold in the beer-by-the-glass dispensaries," reads a Vancouver Daily Province article about the decision.
A reason was not given.
2. No MMA (2007)
While some of these bylaws are 100 years old, this one is more recent.
In 2007, mixed martial arts fights were banned in Vancouver.
At the time it was a relatively new sport. There was no regulatory body in B.C. and fights were unsanctioned.
In response, Vancouver's city council banned it outright. The ban didn't last long though, as it was repealed a couple of years later.
3. No one over 40 hired by the city (1923)
In 1923, a bylaw was created that would certainly be struck down in 2025.
Vancouver city council banned hiring anyone over 40 years old (for a city job).
It didn't last long. A 1924 story notes it was repealed less than a year later.
4. No bands on Sunday (1924)
While the city council in 1924 felt a ban on hiring people 40 or older should be nixed, they did create a ban of their own.
No Sunday band concerts.
In a close vote, the council of the time voted to ban bands from playing on Sunday. The issue arose when a Hebrew school wanted to hold a charity concert, according to a Vancouver Province article from 1924.
5. No women's wrestling (1934)
It's unclear what Vancouver's stance was, but in 1934 women's wrestling was banned in New Westminster.
In a 1934 article from the Daily Province, the city's Police Commission announced the ban after a request from the Local Council of Women.
The wrestling matches likely had audiences, it appears. The article also relates the issue to the sale of alcohol by a club hosting women's wrestling.
Bonus
No parking on Granville Street during rush hour in downtown Vancouver
This seems like a fairly reasonable bylaw by today's standards, but the parking regulation had to be made official in 1952.
The idea didn't go unopposed. Two aldermen at the time said they would never shop in downtown Vancouver as a result, according to the Vancouver Province.
