Graphic anti-abortion flyers sent to Calgary homes must now come with warning

Anti-abortion flyers with graphic images of fetuses must now be covered and accompanied by a content warning when they're delivered to Calgary homes.

Calgary city council approved the change Tuesday with an amendment to the Calgary Community Standards bylaw. The move is meant to protect people from being "inadvertently exposed" to the images, according to a City of Calgary statement.

If the pamphlets include the photos, they are required to be in an opaque envelope with a graphic content warning, and they must also include the name and address of the sender.

If any of those three requirements are violated, they each come with $1,000 fines.

Ward 2 Coun. Jennifer Wyness advocated for the change to the bylaw.

"It's a sense of relief. Women who have experienced pregnancy loss, families who have experienced pregnancy loss now don't have to be fearful of a graphic image of something they wanted coming to their door," she said Tuesday.

"Now if they see [the flyer] they won't have to think about the baby they wanted that never survived."

Wyness compared the new concealment requirement to "R" ratings for disturbing or mature films, saying that it's reasonable to ask that the images of fetuses come with a content warning.

Last month, the community development committee voted unanimously to send the proposed bylaw change to city council. During public input sessions at the time, five women with personal stories about abortion spoke in favour of the new rules.

One man with an anti-abortion group spoke against the change.

If Calgarians receive a flyer that violates the new rules, they can call 311 to report it.