Calgary city council is getting set to debate a motion that would look for different ways to crack down on thefts under $100, including a scan of what other municipalities are doing to tackle the issue.
The notice of motion, co-signed by Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot and Ward 2 Coun. Jennifer Wyness, argues a rise in low-value thefts is causing business frustration, public erosion of confidence in enforcement, and front-line officer frustration.
“Accountability is what we’re looking for, public trust is another and reduced resource requirements for the police department,” Chabot told Global News.
According to the motion, there have been around 23,063 calls for service since 2023, with “the majority” involving thefts under $100. However, the motion states just 17 per cent of those incidents result in charges.
Currently, minor shoplifting offences of less than $100 is enforced through a Criminal Code charge of theft under $5,000.
For Zain Khalid, who owns Express Mart Convenience and Grocery in downtown Calgary, repeated shoplifting incidents in his store have led him to question whether he should continue reporting the thefts.
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“People are very mindful when they’re stealing stuff, they don’t want to go above that $100 range,” he told Global News. “Even when we go to court for these cases, the judge throws the case away because it’s only food.”
Khalid said he’s spent thousands of dollars on security cameras and bars for his front windows to protect his store from theft, but noted he doesn’t display certain products on the floor due to repeated shoplifting incidents.
“Having that extra enforcement, having that peace of mind that there’s actually some law and order, we can be more comfortable in actually getting more stuff in,” Khalid said. “We can be more risky with our inventory, have more displays out, deal with vendors and get better deals. Everything helps.”
The motion was introduced at a city committee meeting earlier this month, but was revised from its original intent.
Originally, it called on city administration to develop a bylaw that enforced theft under $100 with a fine of $250 as well as the possibility of referals to community service and programs.
The revised motion asks city administration to return sometime this summer with “an analysis of approaches” that the city could take to regulate theft under $100, including approaches taken by other Canadian municipalities.
“It’ll have to be addressed with a different mechanism, such as possession of stolen property on public lands,” Chabot said. “If someone is in possession of that stolen property, looking at alternative measures without having to go through an extensive burden of proof.”
Criminal defence lawyer Jillian Williamson was critical of the motion’s original intent, which she said could overstep municipal jurisdiction by creating a parallel criminal offence.
Williamson said the city should explore using the community court system for low-value theft, as incidents typically involve people in vulnerable situations.
“That’s what’s going to happen in community court is the charge ends up getting withdrawn,” she said. “They’re making sure the person has supports, they’re connecting them to get them out of this vulnerable situation that they’re in that causes some of the antisocial behaviour and they’re moving them away from that.”
In a statement to Global News, the Calgary Police Service said it is “always supportive of proposals that can make policing in Calgary more efficient.”
The motion is set to be debated by Calgary city council on Tuesday.
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