Saskatchewan

Sask. receives more than 2,000 responses to question of stricter trespassing law

The province will now review the responses to its questionnaire on strengthening its trespassing legislation.

No timeline for when the province will complete review

The province is considering changes to the legislation surrounding trespassing on rural properties. (Matt Garand/CBC)

More than 2,000 responses came in answer to a provincial government questionnaire about whether it should be an offence to enter someone's land without permission. 

The province posted the survey on its website in late summer. The survey has since closed.  

It asked: "Should Saskatchewan legislation provide that all access by members of the public to rural property requires the prior express permission of the rural land owner or occupier regardless of the activity and failure to secure that consent constitutes an offence?"

A spokesperson said work is now beginning to sift through the answers to decide what the government should do next. 

At this point, there is no timeline for when the review will be complete and when a decision could be made. 

The review follows calls from farmers to crack down on rural crime and strengthen property rights in Saskatchewan, which were heard again at the annual convention of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities back in March. 

--With files from Alicia Bridges

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie Taylor

Reporter, CBC Saskatchewan

Stephanie Taylor is a reporter based in Saskatchewan. Before joining CBC News in Regina, she covered municipal politics in her hometown of Winnipeg and in Halifax. Reach her at stephanie.taylor@cbc.ca