Update August 13, 2014 – Voting on this bylaw is now scheduled for September 8 at 1:30 pm Update July 23, 2014 – Today the City of Vernon confirmed to me, via Twitter, that they have dropped the intended ban on amateur MMA with the proposed legislation only targeting professional Mixed Martial Arts … More City of Vernon Considers Limiting Ban on MMA to Professional Events
Update June 24, 2014 – the vote for the below bill has been postponed until July 14: __________________________________________________ Last month I discussed Vernon, BC’s, plans to ban Mixed Martial Arts from their City. The proposed law has now been drafted and is up for discussion and voting on June 23, … More Vernon, BC Law Proposing Ban on Professional and Amateur MMA Ready for Vote
While British Columbia has a Province wide Athletic Commission with monopoly powers to oversee and regulate MMA, BC’s legal framework gives individual cities a choice allowing them to outright ban certain combat sports. Specifically, section 59(f)(1) of BC’s Community Charter allows the passage of City bylaws that “prohibit professional boxing, professional wrestling and other professional athletic … More City of Vernon, BC Looking to Ban Mixed Martial Arts
Update October 5, 2013 – The City of Moncton has now pulled the Commission’s ability to oversee MMA, Muay Thai and Kickboxing. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Although the City of Moncton has an established Athletic Commission with the power to regulate and oversee both amateur and professional MMA events, the Commission’s blessing may not be enough to get … More The Dubious Legality of MMA in Moncton
The City of Yellowknife has a long history of hosting and regulating combat sport events including Mixed Martial Arts. Despite this history, can the City legally regulate MMA events given the newly amended section 83 of the Criminal Code? As previously discussed, section 83 makes professional MMA illegal by default in all of Canada unless the … More The Legality of MMA in Yellowknife and the Canadian Territories
Earlier this month I discussed the combat sports athletic commission rumored to be coming to Weyburn, Sakatchewan concluding that if Cities in Saskatchewan have the authority to regulate MMA under the Cities Act and there is “no interference from the Provincial legislature” then the path may be clear for municipal commissions. I have just been … More Saskatchewan Plays the Trump Card over Municipal MMA Regulation
As previously discussed, the now overhauled section 83 of the Criminal Code does not in and of itself make MMA legal across Canada, it allows Provinces to make it legal on a Province by Province basis. The default is the sport remains illegal. It requires Provincial regulation. This needs to happen for both professional and amateur … More More Fallout on the Canadian Amateur Mixed Martial Arts Scene – Grande Prairie Cancels AMMA Events
Yes, once again here comes a lawyer to take all the fun out of things! Today I will breakdown the legal authority (or lack thereof) of the Calgary Combative Sports Commission to regulate AMMA. AFC 20 is scheduled to take place in Calgary in July and three amateur bouts are reportedly taking place. Given … More Breaking Down the Calgary Combative Sports Commission’s Authority To Regulate AMMA
With Bill S-209 now in force the legislative floodgates are opening with regional governments passing laws addressing mixed martial arts and other combat sports. Alberta’s Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray) is the latest to enter the fray with the City Council having just passed a Combative Sports Commission Bylaw. The new bylaw … More Fort McMurray Passes Combative Sports Commission Bylaw
I have spent a lot of time highlighting the Federal Government’s effort to amend the Criminal Code to legalize MMA in Canada, I have also spent time highlighting Provincial obligations to ensure amateur contests do not slip between the cracks, this leaves the last level of government – the Municipal. Can municipalities outlaw consensual fighting? Reasons for judgement were … More More on Regulating Canadian MMA – Can City Governments Outlaw Consensual Fighting?
Combat Sports Law 