2.4 BC Trespass Act, Property Protection & Authority to Evict

BC Trespass Act, Property Protection & Authority to Evict

Protecting private property, commercial premises, and residential real estate is a core duty of security professionals in British Columbia. Statutory authority to restrict access, issue warnings, and evict unauthorized individuals is derived primarily from provincial legislation—specifically the BC Trespass Act (RSBC 2018, c. 3)—and federal property protection provisions under Section 41 of the Criminal Code of Canada. Understanding these legal mechanisms enables security officers to maintain property security effectively while remaining strictly within the boundaries of statutory law.

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Breakdown of the BC Trespass Act

The BC Trespass Act establishes civil and statutory rules governing unauthorized access to land, buildings, structures, and enclosed premises across British Columbia.

                                 BC Trespass Act Framework
                                             │
               ┌─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────┐
               ▼                                                           ▼
     Definition of Occupier                                      Offence Triggers
 ┌───────────────────────────────┐                           ┌───────────────────────────────┐
 │ • Owner or tenant in possession│                           │ 1. Entry where notice against │
 │ • Person in physical control  │                           │    entry is given             │
 │ • Authorized Security Agent   │                           │ 2. Prohibited activity on site│
 └───────────────────────────────┘                           │ 3. Failure to leave when      │
                                                             │    directed by occupier       │
                                                             └───────────────────────────────┘

1. Definition of "Occupier"

Under Section 1 of the BC Trespass Act, an occupier is defined as:

• A person who is in physical possession of premises, OR
• A person who has responsibility for, and control over, the condition of premises, the activities conducted on the premises, or the persons allowed to enter the premises.

[!IMPORTANT] Security Guard Status as Occupier Agent: Hired security professionals act as authorized agents of the occupier. When a security guard issues a directive to leave property or signs a trespass warning, they carry the full legal authority of the property owner under the Act.

2. Statutory Offenses under the BC Trespass Act

Section 2(1) of the Act establishes three primary trespass offences:

• Entry Prohibited: Entering premises where notice prohibiting entry has been given.
• Prohibited Activity: Engaging in an activity on premises where notice prohibiting that activity has been given.
• Failure to Depart: Failing to leave premises immediately after being directed to do so by the occupier or an authorized security representative.

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Methods of Serving Notice under the BC Trespass Act

For a trespass offence to occur, the subject must have received legal notice. Under Section 3 of the BC Trespass Act, notice may be given in three distinct ways:

                            Statutory Notice Mechanisms
                                         │
        ┌────────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┐
        ▼                                ▼                                ▼
Express Verbal / Written           Posted Signage                   Markings & Enclosures
┌───────────────────────────┐   ┌───────────────────────────┐   ┌───────────────────────────┐
│ Direct verbal instruction │   │ Legible signs posted at   │   │ Fences, walls, gates, or  │
│ or formal written Trespass│   │ access points prohibiting │   │ regulatory color markings │
│ Notice given to individual│   │ entry or activities.      │   │ enclosing the property.   │
└───────────────────────────┘   └───────────────────────────┘   └───────────────────────────┘

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Statutory Power of Arrest under BC Trespass Act Section 9

Section 9 of the BC Trespass Act grants occupiers and security guards a specific statutory power of arrest:

BC Trespass Act s. 9(1): "A peace officer or an occupier may arrest without warrant any person found on the premises in contravention of section 2."

Key Requirements for a Section 9 Arrest

• Found on Premises: The arrest must occur while the trespasser is still physically located on the property.
• Immediate Hand-off: Section 9(3) mandates that the arrested person must be delivered to a peace officer forthwith.
• Tactical Consideration (Arrest vs. Eviction): While Section 9 provides arrest authority, physical arrest for simple trespass should generally be a last resort. Eviction or police involvement is preferred unless the trespasser poses an active safety threat or commits concurrent criminal acts (e.g., Criminal Mischief s. 430).

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Criminal Code Section 41: Protection of Property Evictions

When an unauthorized individual refuses verbal directives to leave, Section 41 of the Criminal Code of Canada provides legal protection for property occupiers using reasonable force to evict trespassers:

                            Criminal Code Section 41(1)
                                         │
        ┌────────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┐
        ▼                                ▼                                ▼
Peaceable Possession              Reasonable Force                No Assault Committed
┌───────────────────────────┐   ┌───────────────────────────┐   ┌───────────────────────────┐
│ Occupier or agent must be │   │ May use reasonable force  │   │ Force is protected ONLY IF│
│ in peaceable possession of│   │ to prevent entry or remove│   │ the trespasser does not   │
│ real property.            │   │ the trespasser.           │   │ strike back or assault.   │
└───────────────────────────┘   └───────────────────────────┘   └───────────────────────────┘

Criminal Code s. 41(1): "Every one who is in peaceable possession of a dwelling-house or real property, and every one lawfully assisting him or acting under his authority, is justified in using force to prevent any person from trespassing on the dwelling-house or real property, or to remove a trespasser therefrom, if he uses no more force than is necessary."

[!CAUTION] Escalation to Assault (s. 41(2)): Under s. 41(2), if a trespasser resists eviction by assaulting or striking the security officer, the trespasser is legally deemed to have committed an assault without justification. At that moment, the legal framework shifts from simple property eviction to Self-Defence under Section 34 and Arrest under Section 494.

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Step-by-Step Practical Eviction Protocol

Security professionals must follow a structured, professional protocol when conducting a property eviction:

                     Step-by-Step Property Eviction Sequence
                                       │
 ┌─────────────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┐
 ▼                                     ▼                                     ▼
Step 1: Approach & Identity    Step 2: Issue Directive       Step 3: Allow Exit Window
┌───────────────────────────┐  ┌───────────────────────────┐  ┌───────────────────────────┐
│ Approach from safe stance │  │ State clearly: "You must  │  │ Maintain Reactionary Gap  │
│ and identify as security. │  │ leave the property now."  │  │ and path for departure.   │
└───────────────────────────┘  └───────────────────────────┘  └───────────────────────────┘
                                       │
 ┌─────────────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────┐
 ▼                                                                           ▼
Step 4: Serve Written Notice (Optional)                     Step 5: Escalation / Hand-off
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐                 ┌─────────────────────────────┐
│ Issue written Notice of Trespass if     │                 │ If refusal continues, call  │
│ subject remains non-compliant.          │                 │ police or execute s. 9/s. 41│
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘                 │ intervention safely.        │
                                                            └─────────────────────────────┘

1. Approach and Identification: Approach the subject using proper tactical positioning (Reactionary Gap), identify yourself as a security officer, and explain your authority.
2. Issue Clear Verbal Notice: Direct the subject to leave the property immediately (e.g., "Sir, this is private property and you do not have permission to be here. You must leave immediately.").
3. Provide Reasonable Opportunity to Comply: Pause and allow the individual adequate time to gather their belongings and move toward the exit boundary.
4. Issue Written Warning (If Applicable): If required by site Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), hand the individual a formal Notice of Trespass specifying property boundaries and ban duration.
5. Execute Escalation or Police Notification: If the individual refuses to leave, determine whether to request police assistance, execute a Section 9 arrest, or apply minimal physical control under Criminal Code s. 41.
6. Log and Document: Record the entire interaction in the daily security log, noting exact timestamps, statements, physical descriptions, and notice methods used.

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Worked Practical Scenario: Evicting a Disruptive Patron from Commercial Property

Scenario: Security Officer David is on duty at a commercial shopping centre in Surrey, BC. He observes a patron standing in the central atrium shouting obscenities at shoppers and harassing store staff. The property manager instructs David to remove the individual from the mall.

Legal & Tactical Execution:

1. Occupier Authority: As the property manager's authorized security agent, Officer David holds occupier authority under Section 1 of the BC Trespass Act.
2. Step 1 - Verbal Notice: David approaches the patron, maintains a 6-foot reactionary gap, and states: "I am shopping centre security. You are causing a disturbance and your permission to be on this property is revoked. You must leave the premises immediately."
3. Step 2 - Refusal & Failure to Depart: The patron refuses to leave, yelling: "You can't make me leave, it's a public place!" (Commercial malls are private property open to the public; the owner can revoke entry permission at any time).
4. Step 3 - Offence Commission: By failing to leave immediately after being directed to do so, the patron commits an offence under Section 2(1)(c) of the BC Trespass Act.
5. Step 4 - Eviction / Resolution: Officer David informs the patron that he is committing trespass under provincial law. David positions himself to escort the patron toward the exit doors while calling police dispatch. Seeing David's professional demeanor and police contact, the patron exits the property. David documents the event in the security log, noting the verbal warning and physical description for future enforcement.