A 13-year-old boy threatened to spray a disabled homeless woman with bear spray and posted the video to social media. (screenshot/Facebook)

By Susan McNeil

Bear spray misuse

Municipalities could soon opt-in to expanded rules on knives, bear spray

Dec 5, 2024 | 1:23 PM

New provincial legislation introduced today will allow municipalities and First Nations to seize items such as knives, machetes and bear spray if they are seen in public spaces. That is welcome news to Prince Albert Mayor Bill Powalinsky.

People misusing bear spray has been a growing concern in Prince Albert and other northern communities for several years, as has the use of knives and machetes while committing other crimes.

“We certainly welcome any opportunity that will help either regulate or eliminate dangerous substances or weapons or things that would threaten our citizens. With the legislation that’s being proposed, we’re certainly going to watch it very carefully to see how we can partner up and really make a difference,” said Powalinsky.

Powalinsky was elected to his first term as mayor three weeks ago and said the one thing he heard while campaigning is that crime in the city needs to be addressed.

“People are looking for progress on reducing crime and I think this is a very positive step on achieving that.” he said.

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Now, the plan is to ban people from possessing and carrying large knives, bear spray or other street weapons in public spaces, if the municipality or First Nation has opted in to the new rules.

It will also be an offence to deface or alter street weapons to make them easier to hide. It was already against the rules to change bear spray containers.

Police will have enhanced powers to seize street weapons from people who have them in public if there is a threat to public safety, regardless if a charge is laid or not.

Violations can result in provincial charges being laid as well.

The opt-in choice for local governments is because the province said it recognizes that in some cases, there is a legitimate reason for people to have some of the weapons.

“The legislation contains appropriate exemptions to ensure these items can continue to be used for their lawful purposes, such as food preparation and protection from wildlife threats,” reads the news release issued by the government.

What appears to be random targeting of people at places like Exhibitions and fairs was a big problem across Saskatchewan this past summer.

In La Ronge, people were sprayed in six incidents at the Elks Fair. Incidents were also reported in Saskatoon. In Prince Albert, three separate incidents were recorded at the Exhibition along with the slashing of tires of parked vehicles near the Exhibition grounds.

Dozens of people were sprayed at the Elks Fair in La Ronge in multiple incidents. (Facebook)

Perhaps one of the most egregious examples was a 13-year-old boy in Prince Albert videotaping himself threatening a homeless woman with bear spray, telling her to hand over her possessions or he would spray her. She could only walk with the use of a walker. The video was posted to social media.

Police officers are increasingly targeted by offenders using bear spray.

Prince Albert Police Chief Patrick Nogier said that his officers had been sprayed and while he welcomed the restriction of bear spray in cities over 5,000 people that was made in the spring, it needed to be expanded.

READ MORE: Hit or miss: how would the changes last spring affect PA Police?

In 2019, there were 96 bear spray related occurrences in Prince Albert, which increased to 115 in 2020 and then 169 in 2023.

Police services across the province reported more than 3,000 incidents in five years.

At the same time, the province is pointing to its new multi-ministry approach to community safety, such as a $12 million promise to provide 100 more municipal police officers. Of those, 17 are supposed to be in Prince Albert as is the home base for the Saskatchewan Marshal Service.

The SCAN program will be expanded. SCAN allows people to give officers tips online or by phone about houses with suspected drug activity. One of the things SCAN can do is have the tenants evicted and banned from returning for a period of time.

Bear spray, wrapped in black electrical tape, has become a common item seized in Prince Albert. (Prince Albert Police)

Tipsters to SCAN do not have their names released without their consent and will not be identified in court or any public way.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com