Canadian man who hiked in woods in defiance of ban has case heard in court

"Jeffrey Evely, a Canadian army veteran who lives in the city of Sydney, Nova Scotia, said that he took a daily hike in the woods in order to manage symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder he had developed as a soldier, court briefings show. But his daily stroll was impeded last year when Nova Scotia banned entering the woods in most of the province between early August and mid-September, in an effort to prevent wildfires during a particularly dry period."

"In the applicant brief, Evely's legal team claims the ban violated section 7 of the Canadian charter of rights and freedoms, which guarantees life, liberty and security of the person. They argue that the ban was vague, overbroad and an overreach of government power."

"Announcing the ban last year, the Nova Scotia premier, Tim Houston, conceded that it was inconvenient, but stressed it was necessary to keep fires at bay and avoid a repeat of the province's disastrous 2023 wildfire season. Officials said when they implemented the ban that the fine would match the charge for violating the ban on fires, which was $25,000."

Jeffrey Evely, a Canadian army veteran in Sydney, Nova Scotia, intentionally violated a provincial ban on entering forests to launch a constitutional challenge. The ban, implemented between early August and mid-September to prevent wildfires during a dry period, restricted hiking, camping, fishing, and trail use. Evely uses daily forest walks to manage post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. He documented his violation in a YouTube video and received a fine of $28,872.50. The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms represents Evely, arguing the ban violates section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, claiming it is vague, overbroad, and an overreach of government power.

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