The bylaw goes into effect Jan. 1, 2024. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

City council

City adopts late evening alley curfew bylaw to increase safety

Oct 25, 2023 | 4:56 PM

North Battleford city council wants to keep people with ill intent out of the community’s alleyways after dark.

At their meeting this week, council passed third reading of the Late Evening Alley Access bylaw that would prohibit people from accessing alleys from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. starting on Jan. 1, 2024, unless they have a legitimate reason to be there. Offenders could face a fine from $250 up to a maximum of $2,500.

Nearly all of council voted in favour, with only Coun. Kent Lindgren opposed. Coun. Kelli Hawtin was absent.

Lindgren previously said, from a community perspective, he questioned a bylaw that would involve “controlling people’s movement in our community.”

“That can have a big impact, be it good or be it bad,” he said on this issue, following the Oct. 10 meeting.

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Battlefords RCMP Insp. Jesse Gilbert previously noted Prince Albert and the Town of Nipawin also use the bylaw. Nipawin in particular has seen about a 50-per-cent reduction of people accessing back alleys overnight as a result.

Gilbert said North Battleford RCMP are “very supportive” of the bylaw.

The full list of exceptions is available on the city’s website.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow