Saskatchewan may toughen trespassing rules

REGINA Saskatchewan is reviewing its trespass legislation to determine if the rules should change to make them more effective.

The government is looking for feedback on whether people should be required to ask landowners in advance for permission whenever going onto private land.

Ray Orb, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, says he welcomes the review.

He says it should be a given that people can’t just go onto private land.

Orb says rural residents have been asking for stricter trespass laws because of rising rural crime.

The government is asking people to respond to an online questionnaire by Oct. 1.

Current trespass rules are covered by different laws governing trespassing, wildlife, ATVs, snowmobiles and other regulations.

“These different rules may contribute to confusion on what legally constitutes trespassing,” the government said in a news release Thursday.