The Trespass to Property Act of Ontario is a provincial law in Ontario, Canada dealing with illegal entry into private and public property. As a provincial law, the penalties and mechanisms of enforcement are also provincial. This is an important distinction; under the Canadian system, criminal law is within the realm of federal authority and anyone violating this statute would be subject to quasi-criminal (not full criminal) enforcement. The Act is an attempt to codify what was formerly recognized by the common law. It is most often used by private-property owners to keep unwanted individuals off their property. There are many methods of notifying unwanted individuals that they have been banned (for future access), but the most common is a personal notice to the offender.
Famous quotes containing the words trespass, property and/or act:
“Respect the child. Wait and see the new product of Nature. Nature loves analogies, but not repetitions. Respect the child. Be not too much his parent. Trespass not on his solitude.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“No man is by nature the property of another. The defendant is, therefore, by nature free.”
—Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)
“But the whim we have of happiness is somewhat thus. By certain valuations, and averages, of our own striking, we come upon some sort of average terrestrial lot; this we fancy belongs to us by nature, and of indefeasible rights. It is simple payment of our wages, of our deserts; requires neither thanks nor complaint.... Foolish soul! What act of legislature was there that thou shouldst be happy? A little while ago thou hadst no right to be at all.”
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881)