Swearing, spitting, screaming? That’ll cost you.

A small town in Alberta has just passed a local bylaw that calls for stiff fines for a number of offences. The new “community standards” bylaw includes fines for, swearing, spitting, yelling or other loud noises, urinating in public, panhandling, fighting, painting graffiti, and assembly of three or more people where police have grounds to think they will disturb the peace.

The town of Taber, Alberta, population just over 8,000 is located about 250 kilometres south of the major city of Calgary.

The new bylaw says the first offence of swearing in public could result in a fine of $150, and a second offence up to $300. Spitting in public could cost $75.  There is also a curfew for young people from 11pm, to 6 am.

The bylaw was adopted last month, and Mayor Henk De Velieger said council is going to give the bylaw a six-month trial before reviewing it. The mayor said the bylaw will only be enforced in extreme circumstances.

Taber’s police chief said the Community Standards Bylaw, was an amalgamation of other existing bylaws and through consultation with other communities about their policies.

A Calgary law professor says the ban on assembly is likely unconstitutional, saying the Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the right of freedom to speak, the freedom to assemble, we have freedom of religion.

Meanwhile, the Lethbridge Defence Bar says it will consider taking on any case that arises from the bylaw, saying ” You will be given a free consultation and, depending on the circumstances of your infraction, will be the representative defendant in a trial to find the Community Standards Bylaw unconstitutional.”

While the sweeping bylaw has been gaining national attention, a ban on spitting and urinating in public is not uncommon in cities and towns all across the country. For example, a ban on spitting, swearing, or urinating in public was passed in Calgary in 2006. Vancouver banned spitting, urinating, or defecating in public in 2007