# Dark Sky Law: Ontario

Ontario has no province-wide dark-sky statute, but a growing number of municipalities, especially in cottage country, have passed their own outdoor-lighting bylaws requiring shielded, downward-directed fixtures, including Huntsville (2016), Seguin Township, Muskoka Lakes (2023), and Mississauga's nuisance-lighting rule (2012). The province is also home to more RASC-designated Dark-Sky Preserves than any other, including Torrance Barrens, Killarney, and Lake Superior provincial parks.

**Status:** limited (checked 2026-09-23)
Ontario has no province-wide dark-sky statute, but a growing number of municipalities, especially in cottage country, have passed their own outdoor-lighting bylaws requiring shielded, downward-directed fixtures, including Huntsville (2016), Seguin Township, Muskoka Lakes (2023), and Mississauga's nuisance-lighting rule (2012). The province is also home to more RASC-designated Dark-Sky Preserves than any other, including Torrance Barrens, Killarney, and Lake Superior provincial parks.

## Statutes
- [Outdoor Lighting By-law](https://doppleronline.ca/huntsville/outdoor-lighting-bylaw/), Town of Huntsville (2016)
- [Dark Sky By-law](https://muskokalakes.civicweb.net/document/78279/), By-law 2023-009 (amended by 2025-029), Township of Muskoka Lakes (2023)
- [Nuisance Lighting By-law](https://www.mississauga.ca/file/COM/nuisancelighting2013.pdf), By-law 262-12, City of Mississauga (2012)

## Municipal codes
- [Huntsville](https://doppleronline.ca/huntsville/outdoor-lighting-bylaw/): Requires full cut-off, downward-shielded outdoor fixtures on new construction since January 2016, gave property owners until January 2026 to upgrade existing lighting, and restricts dock lights to warm amber or yellow tones.
- [Muskoka Lakes](https://muskokalakes.civicweb.net/document/78279/): By-law 2023-009 regulates exterior lighting intensity, shielding, and hours of use township-wide to protect dark skies.
- [Seguin Township](https://www.myparrysoundnow.com/76948/news/municipal-news/seguin-township/seguin-adopts-bylaw-to-protect-dark-sky-environment/): Adopted a bylaw restricting unshielded and excessive outdoor lighting to protect its "dark sky environment."
- [Mississauga](https://www.mississauga.ca/file/COM/nuisancelighting2013.pdf): Nuisance Lighting By-law 262-12 (2012) bans glare-producing fixtures such as floodlights, spotlights, and flashing lights that trespass onto neighboring properties.
- [North Frontenac](https://www.northfrontenac.com/things-to-do/north-frontenac-astronomy-park/): Township-wide RASC dark-sky preserve designation (2013) protects the North Frontenac Astronomy Park near Plevna from light pollution.

## Sources
- https://doppleronline.ca/huntsville/outdoor-lighting-bylaw/
- https://muskokalakes.civicweb.net/document/78279/
- https://www.mississauga.ca/file/COM/nuisancelighting2013.pdf
- https://www.myparrysoundnow.com/76948/news/municipal-news/seguin-township/seguin-adopts-bylaw-to-protect-dark-sky-environment/
- https://www.northfrontenac.com/things-to-do/north-frontenac-astronomy-park/
- https://rasc.ca/lpa/dark-sky-sites

---
Canonical: https://darkskiesdirectory.com/laws/ON