Court Says Woods Ban Was Wrong
Introduction
In April 2026, a court in Nova Scotia said a ban on going into woods was not right. The government made the ban in August 2025. A man got a fine for breaking the ban. He asked the court to help. The court said the ban was against people's rights.
Main Body
The government made the ban on August 5, 2025. It was very dry and there was a big risk of fire. The ban said people could not go into woods for travel, camping, fishing, or picnics. Only people with a special permit could go. The ban started to end on August 29, 2025. A big fire started on August 13. It burned 8,500 hectares and destroyed 20 homes. Judge Jamie Campbell said the ban was a big problem for people's freedom to move. The government did not think about Section 6 of the Canadian Charter. This section gives people the right to move around. The judge also said the word 'woods' was not clear. It included places with no trees, like bogs and rocks. The government did not check if the ban was okay for people's rights. Premier Tim Houston said he respects the court's decision. He said the ban was needed to keep people safe. He said the province will not fight the decision. NDP Leader Claudia Chender said the government needed to act, but it did not do a good job. Jeffrey Evely got a fine of $28,872.50 for breaking the ban. He was happy with the court's decision. His lawyer said governments must think about rights when they make big rules. The court's decision does not stop future bans. But the government must think about Charter rights first. The judge said the ban was very unclear. This could affect other rights, but the court did not use that part. The court will probably cancel the fine for Evely.
Conclusion
The court's decision says that even in emergencies, the government must respect people's rights. Future bans must be careful about the Charter.