Subhead:Residents in Nova Scotia were previously barred from entering wooded areas for activities like hiking or camping due to elevated wildfire risks caused by prolonged hot and dry conditions across the province.#
The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia has struck down the province’s 2025 prohibition on entering wooded areas, ruling the government acted unreasonably and failed to properly consider Charter rights when it imposed the restriction.
The case was brought on behalf of Jeffrey Evely, a Canadian Armed Forces veteran who was fined $28,872.50 after walking in the woods during the ban. Lawyers challenging the measure were funded by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms.
In its decision, the court found there was no evidence the minister considered mobility rights before issuing the proclamation. The judge wrote that governments may respond to emergencies, but must still weigh the impact of their decisions on constitutionally protected freedoms.
The Justice Centre announces that the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia has struck down the province’s sweeping 2025 ban on entering the woods, ruling that the government acted unreasonably and failed to consider the Charter rights and values affected by the ban.
The decision follows… pic.twitter.com/RxQ6viB68u
— Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (@JCCFCanada) April 17, 2026
