Whistler invasive plants could now get you a ticket

Whistler residents can now be fined $250 a day if they have invasive plants in their yards.

"Most invasives are quite pretty. Things like yellow-flag iris has a gorgeous yellow flower, and when you tell people it's invasive, they're sort of shocked," said Claire O'Brien, executive director of the Sea to Sky Invasive Species Council, in an interview with Stephen Quinn on The Early Edition.

O'Brien's group has been advocating for the bylaw banning invasive species, which was recently enacted by the Resort Municipality of Whistler.

O'Brien said the fine will only be used a last resort. Their focus is on education.

"We have a pretty thorough websiteto help people identify whether something they have in their garden is invasive or not," she said.

7 invasive plants that could get you a $250 fine in Whistler

• Scotch broom.
• Spanish broom.
• Purple loosestrife.
• Japanese knotweed.
• Yellow-flag iris.
• Flowering rush.
• Himalayan blackberry.