An absence of trespass legislation in the territory means there is nothing stopping repeat offenders who may have stolen from a store in the past from going into the business again and again.

Technically, businesses cannot ban individuals from their premises, it was noted this morning during a discussion about security at the Whitehorse Business Connect event happening today and Thursday.

The two-day business conference is being hosted by the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce.

This morning’s presentation on security featured Whitehorse RCMP Const. Michelle Faulkner, Sirius Security owner Sonny Gray, and Gerrard Fleming, the owner of Fleming Protection & Security.

It was Gray who pointed to the lack of trespassing legislation in the territory, legislation he argued is standard elsewhere in the country.

“We don’t have that legislation in place,” he said, noting work is being done with the chamber to look at the issue.

Chamber president Rick Karp noted it was about eight months ago the organization met with Justice officials on the issue.

At that time, it had been noted that while there is no trespass act per se, there are elements of such legislation in other territorial acts.

“You’re not reinventing the wheel,” Gray said, adding his sense that the government doesn’t have an “appetite” for such legislation right now.

Elements around trespassing are covered off in various acts, for example, that deal with entering schools and such, Karp said.

He said the chamber had asked at their last meeting with the territory for all the legislation related to trespassing to be put together in one document for the chamber to review.

Karp, Gray, Fleming and Faulkner all noted work has to be done in other areas as well to deal with security for businesses.

As Karp pointed out, the social issues that lead to the $4.2 million Whitehorse businesses lose to shoplifting in a year also have to be dealt with.

He said the chamber has been working with a variety of groups like the Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre, Blood Ties Four Directions and a long list of others to deal with social issues that impact on crime, such as substance abuse.

“We’re working on two fronts,” he said.

In an interview following the session, NDP Leader Liz Hanson agreed it will take more than the “hammer” of legislation to address the issues.

While she did not comment extensively on the trespass legislation, she stressed the need for a housing first model to help address social issues. Under that model, housing is first provided to those in need; then the underlying social issues are dealt with.

Hanson argued the housing initiative, which will see a transitional home opened for five to 10 residents in May, is a “sham,” and does not represent the housing-first model groups have been calling for for years.

The long list of requirements potential residents must meet to live there leave out a large segment of the population who need housing first, she said.

They must be diagnosed with a persistent mental health condition or serious mental illness; be in unstable housing situations or homeless; have no significant cognitive deficit, though they may have substance abuse disorders; require transitional housing to stabilize and secure long-term private housing; be willing to be compliant with treatment plans; and not be a Yukon Review Board client or under a court order.

Hanson added she’s glad to see the chamber looking at crime from a more holistic approach.

While the lack of a trespass act was highlighted, so too were strategies businesses can use to prevent property crime and theft.

In his 10 years since starting Sirius, Gray said, he’s noticed most calls to his company come after a crime such as a break in or robbery.

“It’s reactive rather than proactive,” he said.

There are a number of actions businesses can take down to the store’s layout, hiring practices and more to prevent property crimes.

It was suggested businesses review the chamber’s booklet on security for preventative measures.

Fleming too noted the need to carefully look at who is being hired, noting psychological testing, drug and alcohol testing and other services his business offers to employers.

“We want to promote the idea of protecting the environment around you,” he said.

Gray, meanwhile, noted layout can often play a role.

He suggested there’s likely more theft from stores where it’s easy for people to come and go from the store than shops where shoppers have to go through cash tills to leave.

He encouraged business owners to “think like a criminal” when setting up their shops and take preventative action ahead of time.

In addition to noting the chamber’s booklet, Faulkner shared her own experience of theft.

As she recalled, her husband left moose meat he had hunted and was curing outside in an area he was sure no one would get to.

The day after he had put it out there, the couple discovered there was one of four bags missing; the next day, another went missing.

“The reality is even bears will take advantage of a freebie,” she said, before going on to recommend business owners make sure they have high-quality surveillance equipment in place which can help identify shoplifters and others.

“It really pays to have the quality from the get-go,” she said.

See more conference coverage in Thursday’s edition.