Hello Residents,
Encroachments into Natural Areas
Encroachments into Calgary’s reserve lands, which are protected under the Municipal Government Act (Alberta), has been a long-standing issue. An encroachment is when any kind of structure, landscaping or other improvement extends from a homeowner’s property onto City-owned property. An encroachment also includes disrupting the delicate environmental balance in natural areas by significantly mowing behind a property line, constructing fire pits, planting non-native vegetation, placing compost bins and building forts within these natural areas.
The City owns environmental and municipal reserve lands throughout Calgary – some are included in parks or may look like natural green spaces. Calgary Parks makes deliberate decisions to keep some reserves as natural areas to preserve the natural ecosystems and to protect native plant species and slopes and marshes from erosion.
Nico Bernard, Calgary Parks Manager Development and Capital Services, says encroachment has been an issue for a long time, and The City recently rolled out a new Parks and Pathways Bylaw that prohibits encroachment into natural areas in parks with fines ranging from $750 up to $10,000. The Municipal Government Act (Alberta) outlines very specific uses for reserve lands and encroachments are not a permitted use.
“The City is contacting homeowners identified as having encroached onto City-owned land to let them know this is not acceptable. Some homeowners may not even be aware that they are building beyond their legal property line,” says Bernard. “Home owners should check their legal property report, especially if they back onto a park, green space or natural area.”
For more information, call 311 or visit calgary.ca and search Bylaws Related to Parks and Pathways.
Types of emergencies: Lessen the impact of an emergency situation by knowing calgary.ca/getready what to do before a disaster strikes.
Thank you for your attention,
Councillor Sean Chu, Ward 4
