Esquimalt once banned throwing snowballs as "missiles"

The snowball ban in Esquimalt wasn't targeting childhood fun—it was part of broader public nuisance regulations that lumped snowballs together with stones and other projectiles as "missiles."

The legal language of the era often used "missile" to mean any thrown object, not just military weaponry. Similar provisions existed in many North American municipalities, typically enacted in the early-to-mid 20th century when town councils were concerned about property damage and pedestrian safety.

What made Esquimalt's version notable was that it explicitly mentioned snowballs—perhaps because the small Vancouver Island municipality wanted to be thorough, or perhaps responding to a specific incident.

The bylaw has since been repealed, and Esquimalt children can now engage in snowball fights without fear of municipal prosecution (though snow on Vancouver Island is rare enough that enforcement was never really an issue).