Port Coquitlam councillors will reconsider an amendment to its firearms prohibition bylaw that would have banned crossbows and bow and arrows from being fired within the municipality.
Coun. Michael Wright said there are residents in the municipality who shoot arrows from crossbows and bow and arrows safely on their own property. He suggested sending the report back to committee in order to loosen language that would allow for the recreational arrow shooter to practice at their residence.
"I find this a little difficult to take," he said during Monday night's meeting. "Individuals can use these under safe conditions."
Council was set to vote on a recommendation put forward by staff that would restrict the discharge of bow and arrows and crossbows within the municipality.
The current Firearms Prohibition Bylaw already restricts the discharge of firearms and spring guns, however crossbows and bow and arrows are not included in either category. Staff is recommending that council amend the bylaw to include the weapons in the regulations after a bear was wounded by an arrow last summer.
But while all councillors supported a resolution to defer the item back to committee, Mayor Greg Moore said changes to the staff recommendation would complicate the bylaw.
The city is not in a position to set out parameters for what is a safe shooting area, he noted, adding residents who are firing arrows in their yard would likely make their neighbours uncomfortable no matter what regulations were in place.
"This will bring up a lot of questions," he said. "There are a lot of ramifications of allowing something like that in a backyard."
Even if the changes are adopted in their current form a resident is still allowed to fire a weapon in the municipality under the Livestock Act if they are protecting livestock from attack.
