canada traffic british-columbia
Are gated communities legal in Canada?
<p>Wikipedia states: (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gated_community#Canada" rel="nofollow">link</a>)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Neighbourhoods with "physical" or explicit gating with security
  checkpoints and patrols are extremely rare, being absent in some of
  Canada's richest neighbourhoods such as Bridle Path, Toronto. This is
  generally attributed to the lower crime rate in Canadian cities.
  Furthermore, municipal planning laws in many Canadian provinces ban
  locked gates on public roads as a public health issue since they deny
  emergency vehicles quick access.</p>
  
  <p>A noted exception in Canada is Arbutus Ridge, an age-restricted
  community constructed between 1988 and 1992 on the southeastern coast
  of Vancouver Island.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Do not all municipalities have bylaws requiring there to be no gates blocking emergency vehicles? How did Arbutus Ridge get the exception? It's surprising as it's in a government city.</p>

<p>First off, <a href="https://www.bing.com/mapspreview?&amp;ty=18&amp;q=Arbutus%20Ridge%20Cowichan%20Bay%20BC&amp;ss=ypid.YN1226x17458524541865393034&amp;ppois=48.6932792663574_-123.540298461914_Arbutus%20Ridge_YN1226x17458524541865393034~&amp;cp=48.693279~-123.540298&amp;v=2&amp;sV=1" rel="nofollow">Arbutus Ridge is not in Victoria, British Columbia</a>.</p>

<p>After doing a little bit of research, it seems as if Arbutus Ridge is actually a community built on a single plot of privately owned land. All people who reside in that area seem to have shared ownership, and it's a retirement community. To make matters more confusing, the Wikipedia article of the subject seems to imply that the community is independent: that is, it's already been incorporated.</p>

<p>Public housing is a provincial issue under Canada, but since Arbutus Ridge is basically private, it is able to set many rules for itself. I'm not sure how this integrates with neighbouring communities and the provincial government, but it is what it is.</p>

<p>As I noted in my comment above, most municipalities in Canada don't have by-laws on this matter because there is no need: gated communities are rare in Canada, and most municipalities don't have legislation because they don't need it. I only know of one gated community in Toronto and the surrounding areas/suburbs.</p>
