The NWT government has launched an online survey asking for feedback that will help the territory create a new Trespass Act.
Having made public safety a priority of his government, Premier RJ Simpson has prioritized the development of legislation related to shutting down drug houses, seizing funds believed to be acquired through crime and prosecuting trespassers.
Even so, it’s taking years to get that legislation drafted and passed.
All provinces have a Trespass Act or something similar, but the NWT does not.
The survey will be used to inform what a territorial Trespass Act does beyond the basics, which the GNWT says are:
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- outlining the rights of property owners and lawful occupiers;
- setting out consequences for people who violate the act; and
- providing the ability to “remove individuals from private property before more serious crimes are committed.”
You have until October 8 to complete the survey.
It asks questions like whether people trespassing on private property is a problem in your community, whether you think property owners need more tools to fight trespassing, and whether fines or jail time are the most appropriate penalty.
The survey also asks if you would support “giving property owners and other lawful occupiers the right to arrest a person trespassing on the premises,” alongside other questions.
More: Read a GNWT Q&A about trespass legislation
In May, justice minister Jay Macdonald said he expected a Trespass Act to be introduced in the legislature before the end of 2025.
No update to that timeline was published this week. Closing the survey on October 8 would leave almost no time to turn around a draft of the act before MLAs sit in session later that month.
