Nuisance Bylaw In Effect

Feb 6, 2018 | 5:00 AM

PRINCE GEORGE — The City’s new nuisance bylaw is now in effect. Council has given the bylaw final reading.
The bylaw gives the City the tools to recoup the costs of attending problem properties on repeated occasions. The bylaw was suggested after it came to light that police had attended the Connaught Motor Inn more than 700 times over 18 months.

A pair of letters to Council expressed concerns over the bylaw.

“Contrary to the statement of Councillor Brian Skakun the bylaw will not have the desired effect of getting “people to clean up their act.” Instead, it will discourage people in dire situations from calling for police, fire, and paramedic assistance,” writes Pivot Legal Society.

BC Landlord wrote:
“This proposed bylaw is wrought with unintended consequences including transferring increased costs to landlords that will find difficult to recoup and, potentially forcing landlords to scrutinize prospective tenants much more aggressively thereby denying housing to a larger base of prospective renters and especially more vulnerable populations.”