New Survey for Individuals Affected by Enforcement Practices
Purpose: We are conducting surveys to document how municipal bylaws, encampment clearings, and systemic debts impact our communities, and to identify pathways for legal reform and support.
About the Project: This survey is part of Breaking the Cycle: Legal Education and Reform for Criminalized Communities, led by the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights (JHC) and funded by the Alberta Law Foundation. Our goal is to move Alberta away from punitive enforcement and toward a system rooted in dignity, care, and justice.
Why Your Input Matters: Across Alberta, many people are being given tickets or fines for simply existing in public spaces. We are conducting this research to understand how municipal bylaws, encampment clearings, and systemic debts (like government overpayments) create cycles of hardship and erasure.
The information we collect will be used to advocate for a fairer legal system and to push for policy reforms that stop the criminalization of poverty.
Your responses will directly shape:
A Public Research Report: Highlighting the real-world (and financial) costs of current enforcement practices.
Legal Education Tools: Helping community members and staff navigate rights and the court system.
Policy Recommendations: Pushing for systemic shifts in how Alberta and municipalities manage public space and poverty.
Privacy & Participation: All responses are anonymous and voluntary. Your experience is vital to ensuring this project reflects the actual needs of our community.
Once you finish the survey (estimated time is 15-20 minutes), you can choose to enter a draw for one of five $100 gift cards as a thank-you for your time. Your contact info will be stored separately from your survey answers.