Civic Addressing
To enable emergency and protective services personnel to locate your home in an emergency, it is very important that your address is posted correctly and is easily visible from the road. Not only do you need to have your address posted, but you also need to know your address so that you can relate it to 911 operators in the event of an emergency. Because we share 911 services with other municipalities, our 911 operators are not located within the Crowsnest Pass and will not know local landmarks.
Residents are reminded that, according to Bylaw 800, 2010 – The Civic Address Bylaw:
Section 5.
- “The owner of a property shall permanently display the address at the principle entry on the exterior of the residence. Where the principle entry does not face the street, the address will be placed on the exterior location that does face the street. Numbers must be in a contrasting color and in a position which is visible from the street and lane of such property.
- The owner of a rural property shall display the address at the entrance off the main access to the property.
- The address numbers or panel with numbers shall be placed within 30 feet of the street and shall be large enough to be read from the street.
- The owner shall use numerals or letters which are not less than 5 inches (12.70 cm) in height and 2 ½ inches (6.35 cm) in width.
- No person shall display or permit the displaying of any address on a property other than the address currently assigned pursuant to this Bylaw.
- The owner shall maintain the address signage in good condition and shall not cause, allow, or permit the visibility of the address from the street to be obstructed.
During the fall and winter of 2015, the Municipality will be contacting homeowners who do not have their civic address correctly posted in accordance with this Bylaw to ensure compliance. Please note that the Bylaw lists the offences and penalties as follows:
Section 6.
The Bylaw Officer is hereby authorized to ensure the provisions of this Bylaw and to issue offence tickets to any person they reasonably believe has contravened the provisions of this Bylaw.
Section 7.
- Any person who contravenes any provisions of this Bylaw is guilty of an offence and is liable to a penalty of $50.00.
- Any person who, being guilty of a first breach of this Bylaw, contravenes any of the provisions of this Bylaw a second time with the same breach beyond sixty (60) days is guilty of an offence and is liable to a penalty of $200.00.
To view the complete Bylaw, please visit http://www.crowsnestpass.com/municipal-government/council/bylaws
Community Peace Officer Program
The Community Peace Officer provides a broad range of duties and services to the residents and visitors of the Municipality. Departmental duties and responsibilities are reviewed annually by Administration and Council. The establishment of operational priorities is based primarily on environmental scanning and continual liaison with internal and external agencies such as the Police Advisory Committee, Citizens on Patrol, Municipal Council, the general public, and local police services.
By working collectively with the municipal government, local R.C.M.P., and other law enforcement agencies, the Peace Officer Division strives to keep abreast of the issues and concerns in the Crowsnest Pass. This is done through Crime Prevention, public education/relations, preventative patrols, traffic enforcement and road safety protective initiatives. The Community Peace Officer’s high visibility throughout our community forms a critical component to our Community Peace Officer crime prevention program.
Proactive, preventative patrols during all hours of the day and night with our local RCMP and Citizens on Patrol members undoubtedly contribute to the deterrence of crime in our community. The Peace Officer Department also participates in community awareness programs, which invites members of the communities to become involved in identifying and solving problems, answering questions, addressing concerns, or expanding on ideas that may prevent crimes or enhance the safety of our streets and community. In addition the Peace Officer is active in the education of our youth regarding safety. Presentations are done in our elementary and secondary learning institutions throughout the year. The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass employs one full time Community Peace Officer (CPO).
Investigation Process
To start an investigation, a formal complaint can be filed by phoning the Municipal Office at 403-562-8833 during regular business hours, Monday to Friday from 8:30am - 4:30pm. After hour complaints can be filed by calling (403) 562-2021, however please note there may be a 24 hour delay before your complaint can be processed. Should you need immediate attention please phone the RCMP. A proper investigation and follow-up will commence after your information is collected. We will require your name, address, and contact information and the nature of the complaint, such as:
- Date/ Time/ Duration of the event;
- What the event/ concern is;
- Location of the event/ concern;
- Specific information such as the description of the vehicle and a license plate, description of the animal (breed, colour), type of noise, etc.
At times, the investigating officer may need you to produce a signed statement and may need you to attend court. If this is the case, the investigating officer will inform you of this requirement and explain the process. Your personal information is kept in confidence and is essential to our investigations. The Freedom of Information and Protection Privacy Act governs the collecting and dissemination of all personal information. If you are required to be a witness in a court proceeding, your legal name may be released to the defendant.
When sufficient information is provided for the complaint, a file is then assigned to a peace officer for investigation. Due to ongoing investigations, emergency calls and scheduling of the peace officer, calls may take up to two business days to be processed.
Dog Registration
Photo: Municipal Dog #004, Sadye, models her red 2015 tag.
As per Animal Control Bylaw 897, 2014:
3.1 - Any Person who becomes the Owner of a Dog, or whom takes up residence within the Municipality and whom is the Owner of a Dog, must obtain a License, within thirty (30) days of becoming the Owner of a Dog or taking up residence within the Municipality.
3.5 - An Owner of a Dog must ensure that the License Tag is securely fastened to a choke chain, collar or harness worn by the Dog at all times when the Dog is not on the Owner’s Property.
The fines associated for the above offences can be in the amount of $50.00 for the first offence, $100.00 for the second and $200.00 for the third and every offence thereafter.
Dog Registration Process
Dog tags are available at the Municipal Office, you will be asked to provide information about you and your pet. The information collected will aid the Community Peace Officer in identifying and returning your animal as soon as possible should they be turned in or picked up running at large, preferably without the need to impound.
Dog tags must be renewed annually, and cost is $ 15.00 for spayed/neutered dogs and $ 25.00 for non-neutered/non-spayed dogs.