Crown Nixes $28K Fine From Nova Scotia ‘Woods Ban’

Jeffrey Evely disposes of his more than $28,000 ticket after the court's April 17, 2026, ruling in favour of his constitutional challenge. Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Evely via the JCCF

A $28,872.50 fine imposed under Nova Scotia’s now-invalidated “woods ban” has been revoked, ending the enforcement actions against a resident who deliberately violated the ban in protest last summer.

The Halifax Crown Attorney’s Office has withdrawn the ticket against Canadian Armed Forces veteran Jeffrey Evely, who was set to appear in Nova Scotia Provincial Court on July 22, the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) announced in a June 24 press release.

Lawyers backed by the Justice Centre said they had planned to argue that the Nova Scotia Supreme Court’s spring ruling in favour of Evely’s constitutional challenge to the province-wide prohibition essentially eliminated the prosecutor’s ability to enforce the ticket.

The Crown attorney typically withdraws a ticket if the statute under which it was issued is struck down by the courts.

Constitutional lawyer Marty Moore said he welcomed the prosecutor’s decision.

“This outcome confirms what should have been clear after the Supreme Court’s ruling: governments cannot continue enforcing penalties that arise from unconstitutional state action,” Moore said in the JCCF press release.

Moore said Evely’s case underscored the need for emergency measures to adhere to constitutional limits, and added that he welcomed the province’s decision to bring the matter to a close.

Evely said he believes his case was necessary to uphold citizens’ rights.

“Rights need to be asserted. That has always been the case,” Evely said in the press release. “We have a sacred, civic duty to safeguard our inheritance for future generations.”

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston had announced major restrictions on outdoor activities throughout the province on Aug. 5, 2025, due to dry conditions that raised the threat of wildfires. The province banned hiking, camping, fishing, mining, forestry, and other outdoor activities across all forested areas, stating that individuals found in violation of these restrictions could be fined $25,000.

Evely posted a video of himself entering the Department of Natural Resources office in Coxheath, N.S., last August, where he announced his plan to enter the woods as a form of protest. He was issued a $25,000 fine, which totalled $28,872.50 with HST.

Evely’s legal challenge against the ban proceeded to the Nova Scotia Supreme Court and Justice Jamie Campbell ruled in his favour in April.

Campbell’s April 17 decision found the province-wide ban “unreasonable,” saying it placed limitations on travel that were not “trivial or fleeting.” The judge also said the ban failed to consider its effects on Charter rights.

Houston defended the ban after the court ruling, saying the measures were set during a period of elevated wildfire risk and he would do it again if necessary “to keep people safe.”