BONNYVILLE – There’s been a few changes for the MD of Bonnyville’s vacant home check program.
MD council accepted the vacant home check program policy during the Feb. 3 committee meeting, which should tighten up the rules and make it fair for all of the residents using it.
“The vacant home checks program has been running for a number of years and it’s grown in popularity over those years,” explained Matt Janz, general manager of environmental and protect services for the MD. “The department was finding that it was somewhat overwhelming at times and maybe not a proper use of resources.
One of the major differences made, Janz stated, was the period for when the checks would occur.
“Home checks will be conducted in a 48-hour period. Previously, it was once a day,” he explained. “This will then give the flexibility of the officers that are out on patrols to stop into the areas to check, and then if there’s something else that’s ongoing that the officers are conducting, then that priority will be given to those other options and not the vacant home checks.”
Another change made was how often a house can be included in the program.
According to Janz, a property can be "checked twice a year over a period of four weeks per that calendar year."
“(Peace officers) were feeling sometimes that they were going to check the same house every day,” he explained.
Someone who may not fall under some of the regulations is a medical recipient, who is described as a homeowner or immediate family member who is receiving overnight medical treatment outside of the MD.
“They’re away from home and it could be for multiple times a year that they would be reconsidered by the director of public safety and be able to still be allowed within the program,” Janz explained.
If the home is rented, the MD will require both the property owner and the renter to sign off to be included in the program.
Only primary residences will be allowed into the vacant home check program. Secondary, seasonal, or vacation homes won’t qualify under the program.
Properties under construction also won’t be covered under the vacant home check due to safety concerns for the peace officers.
“This program isn’t for security reasons. It’s for actually making sure that when people are on vacation or away, that their properties are checked.”
Commercial properties, vacant homes, or homes on the market also won’t qualify for the program.
Coun. Ben Fadeyiw noted commercial properties don’t fall under the vacant home checks because they’re covered under usual patrols.
“In the (policy) it says that commercial properties situated within the MD boundaries aren’t admissible, but we still do those checks. We’re not saying we’re not going to do them.”
Janz responded, “There are a number of other programs within the department that kind of concentrate on commercial areas. If we do have any commercial owners that have concerns, they can phone in to the office and let them know there might be some suspicious activity and they can add them onto the routine patrols. Those patrols happen every day. The officers are out and about making sure, for crime reduction, that we’re out, seen, and those patrols are already happening. It just wouldn’t have a specific stop at the commercial property and recorded that way. But, those patrols are always happening.”
Those wishing to be included in the vacant home check program must fill out a form and submit it to the public safety department. Forms can be found at md.bonnyville.ab.ca.
