Calgary Councillors Seek New Bylaw to Fine Minor Shoplifters $250
Two Calgary city councillors are spearheading a proposal that could see individuals who steal items worth less than $100 face a substantial $250 fine. The initiative aims to create a more proportionate enforcement mechanism for low-value retail theft, which currently falls under federal criminal law but often goes unprosecuted due to resource constraints.
Addressing Enforcement Gaps in Retail Crime
Ward 10 Councillor Andre Chabot and Ward 2 Councillor Jennifer Wyness are co-sponsoring a notice of motion that will be presented at Tuesday's executive committee meeting. The motion requests the city to draft an amendment to the community standards bylaw specifically targeting shoplifting offences involving merchandise valued under $100.
The councillors argue that the current system creates significant problems for businesses, law enforcement, and public confidence. Under existing regulations, minor shoplifting cases are classified as theft under $5,000 under the Criminal Code of Canada. However, these low-value, non-violent offences are frequently deprioritized or withdrawn by the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service due to limited resources and prosecutorial triage protocols.
Police Resources Strained by Minor Theft Cases
Despite the lack of prosecution outcomes, responding to shoplifting incidents consumes substantial police time and resources. According to data cited in the notice of motion, the Calgary Police Service has received more than 23,000 calls related to shoplifting since 2023.
"We do want to give police all the tools we can to maximize their ability to do their core responsibility," Chabot explained. "They've wasted a lot of time pursuing things that ultimately are not resulting in positive outcomes or any kind of measures, or repercussions for offences."
The councillors estimate that each shoplifting incident proceeding through the criminal justice system requires approximately 2.5 hours of officer patrol time. This accumulates to more than 12,000 hours annually for cases that rarely produce meaningful outcomes for victims or deterrence effects.
Creating Accountability Through Municipal Enforcement
The proposed bylaw amendment seeks to address what the councillors describe as a "proportionate enforcement option" gap that has emboldened shoplifters and contributed to multiple negative outcomes:
- Repeat offending patterns among shoplifters
- Increased frustration among business owners
- Erosion of public confidence in enforcement effectiveness
- Growing frustration among frontline police officers
"I'm looking for alternatives to ensure there's some accountability and providing additional resources that may, at the very least, provide some additional ability to do enforcement," Chabot emphasized.
Police Support for Municipal Approach
The Calgary Police Service has expressed support for the councillors' proposal. Acting Deputy Chief Darren Berglind noted that the municipal fine would provide both a deterrent effect and an alternative method to hold shoplifters accountable when criminal charges prove impractical.
"If our goal is to hold someone to account through the justice system, our goal is unachievable if the Crown isn't going to proceed," Berglind stated. "If nothing is going to happen to that charge, obviously that's an exercise in futility and not remotely effective for the police, citizens or the offender."
The notice of motion must first pass a technical review before Calgary City Council formally votes on the proposed bylaw amendment later this month. If approved, the measure would represent a significant shift in how municipalities address low-level retail crime, providing local enforcement options where federal prosecution has proven inadequate.
