Edmonton Public Library calls child-protection rules “censorship”

Alberta’s new rules aim to protect children from sexually explicit library materials by restricting open-shelf access, but the Edmonton Public Library calls the measures “censorship.”

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The Edmonton Public Library (EPL) is accusing Alberta’s government of censorship over new provincial restrictions on sexually explicit library materials, saying the rules limit Albertans’ freedom to access information.

“These restrictions effectively amount to censorship, limiting all Albertans’ freedom to access information, and we will continue to speak out against them,” said EPL CEO Sharon Day in a November 12 statement.

The restrictions stem from Bill 28, the Municipal Affairs and Housing Statutes Amendment Act, 2026, which amended Alberta’s Libraries Act and gave the province authority to regulate age-based access to public library materials.

Under the new regulations, which take effect January 1, 2027, public libraries across Alberta must restrict access to materials containing visual depictions of sexual acts, as defined by the provincial government.