Loitering, using drugs along transit system to become municipal offences as bylaw changes passed
CBC
Edmonton bylaw and peace officers will have broader authority to remove people deemed to be causing safety issues for others on and around transit property, after city council agreed Wednesday to revise the city's transit bylaw.
Most of city council agreed Wednesday to revise the Conduct of Transit Passengers bylaw, so it will be an offence for people to remain on transit property for purposes other than using transit.
The amended bylaw will also make it a municipal offence to use illegal drugs on or around transit property — in addition to it being a federal crime.
"Just hanging around the station when you're not using transit is another thing we're trying to avoid here," said Andre Corbould, city manager. "Right now, we can't stop people from just hanging around the station."
To Ward Dene Coun. Aaron Paquette, the clause sounded similar to the previous provision on loitering, which council agreed to remove from the bylaw last year.
The city was highly criticized after peace officers removed homeless people from an LRT station during extreme cold weather in winter 2021.
Council agreed last summer to remove the loitering option.
"It simply did not work and it was not equitable," Paquette said of the loitering provision. "It was obviously very heavily weighted toward visible minorities as the enforcement target."
Paquette argued the existing bylaw, before the amendments, already had clear wording that allowed peace officers to deal with people posing a danger.
The legislation states no one may "engage in behaviour that can reasonably be expected to interfere with the safety or comfort of others" while on transit property.
Ward Anirniq Coun. Erin Rutherford made the same argument, suggesting the existing bylaw empowered peace officers to deal with safety issues.
City solicitor Michelle Plouffe said the amendments were meant to provide clarity.
The new clause says no one may "inappropriately or unlawfully use, interfere with the intended use of, or cause damage to" transit property.
That includes remaining on transit property while "engaging in behaviours or activities" other than riding transit.
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