With the country ready to celebrate its 150th birthday, flags are popping up in windows as Canadians everywhere show their patriotism.

In one Qualicum Beach complex, that patriotic spirit is actually costing one senior – to the tune of $50.

Barrie Burden, 79, says his father, daughter, son-in-law and grandsons have all served in the Canadian Air Force and the family sees the Canadian flag as a symbol of pride.

“It represents our country and all the people that served it,” he said. “That’s how important it is, and my family has offered to give up their lives for this country.”

Burden, who lives in a strata-run complex, says about a year-and-a-half ago he was refused permission from the council to hang a Canadian flag on the front of his property.

“Because they have a bylaw that you cannot affix any object to the outside of the property you live in,” he said.

He admits he hung it anyways, but instead in his backyard.

Then, in the weeks leading up to Canada Day, he decided to again break the bylaw and hang a second flag in his front yard, but this time he was slapped with a $50 fine.

“Council requests that the flags be removed immediately and any holes or damage to the building be properly sealed and returned to original state,” the letter read.

“I was angry, I’m hurt, all those things,” said Burden.

CTV News made contact with the strata manager at the complex, but he declined to comment, saying that he couldn’t speak without council’s approval. CTV News had not heard back as of Friday evening.

Burden has support in his corner from no less than the town’s mayor, who says the strata needs to make an exception.

“Personally I’d pay the $50 and fly it all week,” said Teunis Westbroek. “Let’s celebrate Canada, let’s celebrate our values, and one of them is tolerance, and allow this fellow to fly the flag.”

Breaking a few rules himself, the mayor went out on a limb by climbing up onto the roof of City Hall to hang a gigantic flag in solidarity with Burden.

While Burden said he’ll take the flags down after July 1, he believes all Canadians should have the right to hang flags permanently, regardless of strata councils.

With a report from CTV Vancouver Island's Jessica Lepp