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Saskatchewan is getting tougher on trespassers.
The provincial government on Thursday introduced changes to The Trespass to Property Amendment Act, 2021, which will create stiffer penalties on trespassers and make it easier for rural landowners to take legal action against people who come onto their land.
The changes, along with previous amendments to The Trespass to Property Amendment Act, 2021, are to come into force on Jan. 1.
“The vast majority of people in Saskatchewan seek permission to access a property,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Gordon Wyant said in a media release. “These changes will support and extend that best practice by creating a statutory tort of trespass and providing for increased penalties for trespassers.”
Under the new legislation, the maximum penalty for repeat offenders trespassing on the same land increases to $25,000. The act also adds imprisonment of up to six months as a possible penalty.
A corporation found to be complicit in a trespassing offence will face a maximum penalty of $200,000.
Property owners also can take civil legal action against trespassers who come onto their land without permission. According to the act, trespassers will have to explain why they were on the property instead of making the owner prove a person entered without permission.
“The Trespass to Property Act seeks to balance the needs of landowners with the wishes of those who want to access private property for legitimate recreational activities,” the government said. “These changes respond to concerns expressed by rural landowners about individuals who repeatedly trespass on their property.”
