BARRHEAD, Alta. — Residents of a northern Alberta town have voted in favour of a bylaw banning Pride flags and rainbow crosswalks from municipal property.

The town says 1,145 votes were cast in the plebiscite, with 653 in favour of the proposed bylaw and 492 opposed to it.

A petition for the bylaw received about 712 validated signatures in July, almost double what it needed to go before council.

The town says in a post on X that council will now go forward with second and third readings for the bylaw.

The town also says it will be going ahead with removing existing crosswalks or flags that violate the bylaw.

The Town of Westlock passed a similar bylaw in February after it was argued that governments should not promote some groups over others.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 2, 2024.

The Canadian Press