Saskatchewan passes changes to trespassing law

Saskatchewan’s trespassing law underwent a significant change on Wednesday, when a new piece of legislation received third reading.

The new law requires visitors to get permission from landowners before entering their property for everything from hunting to ATV riding to berry-picking.

Darrell Crabbe, executive director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, said it creates a significant shift in the way people access land in Saskatchewan.

“To find a contact number, as an example, is very much a needle in a haystack. Those are the types of hurdles we’re going to have to jump through to try to make this work,” said Crabbe.

Currently, the onus is on landowners to put up no trespassing signs, but changes to the law passed on Wednesday put the onus of consent onto visitors. Crabbe explained a lot of farms have gone under a corporate identity, while others lack landlines and it’s becoming more difficult to make contact.

Crabbe said the new process is going to be a learning curve on both sides of the fence, and he hopes the province forms a directory of contact information.

“Otherwise, people are going to be driving into farmyards and bothering people to try to get that permission they’re required to get,” he said.

Innovation Saskatchewan is working with the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities on a tech-based solution, like an app to connect landowners and those seeking access to their property. Crabbe said the SWF will have representatives at a meeting in Regina next week to learn more about it.

The new trespassing law will come into effect after regulations for it are developed. Crabbe said the devil is in the details.

“Once those regulations have been developed, we’re going to be able to take a lot more time to see and work with the government and landowner groups about how we can mitigate the impact on the hunting community itself,” he said.

Some hunters have hunted in the same area for the same species for several years and have already developed a good relationship with landowners.

On the other hand, Crabbe said when someone gets drawn for antelope, which might only happen every seven to 10 years, it may be more challenging to contact a landowner for permission.