The County’s annual Weed Inspection program enforces the Alberta Weed Control Act. Both the County and residents have responsibilities to control the spread of noxious weeds on private property.

Your role in controlling weeds on your property

Residents have a role to play in controlling noxious weeds on their property. Without control, these plants can be destructive to our natural habitat.

Resident responsibilities:

• Familiarize yourself with the plants found on the noxious weed list.
• Monitor your property regularly for noxious plants.
• Ensure you do not allow noxious and prohibited noxious weeds to grow or flower on your property. Control weeds early.
• Prevent the spread of weed seeds by limiting the movement of contaminated hay, wood chips, gravel, manure and soil. One of the most common methods of moving weed seed is contaminated mud that gets tracked on your vehicle.
• Do not plant wildflower seed mixes. These are most often contaminated with noxious weeds.
• Respond to weed notices issued by the County.

Respond to weed notices

A weed notice is a legal document issued by Strathcona County weed inspectors notifying a property owner of weed infestations.

As a landowner, it is your responsibility to control noxious weeds on your property. If you do not, the County will complete this work at your expense in accordance with the Alberta Weed Control Act. 

If you received a notice:

• Take action within the timeline provided on the notice.
• Once you have controlled the weeds, call us to let us know your name, property location and the best phone number to reach you in case of any issues.
• Inspectors will return to your property for a re-inspection and to ensure that you have controlled all of the weeds and that none were missed.
• If there are any areas that require more work, the inspectors will contact you at the number you provided. The weed notice is still active until all the work is complete.

Weed inspectors have authority to enter private property

Under the provincial Weed Control Act, County weed inspectors have the appointed authority to enter any private property to monitor for noxious and prohibited noxious weeds and enforce compliance with the Act.

Inspectors do not need the homeowner’s permission to do so, but attempts are made to notify the homeowner prior to the inspection. Before a site inspection, the weed inspector will try to let you know by phone first. If there is no response or no number on file, they will knock on the door. The inspector will then enter the property to inspect for noxious and prohibited noxious weeds.

Under the Weed Control Act, a person shall not willfully obstruct or delay an inspector in the exercise of their duties.

Responsibilities of a weed inspector also include:

• Inspecting all public and private lands for noxious and restricted weeds
• Responding to and follow up on complaints
• Assisting residents in identifying weeds on their property, along with effective control methods
• Working with landowners to create a weed management plan for highly infested areas of land
• Issuing weed notices in accordance with the Weed Control Act and following through on compliance

Resources

• Alberta Invasive Species Council
• Alberta Native Plant Council
• Alberta Agriculture and Forestry
• Canadian Wildlife Federation
• Government of Canada Invasive Species
• Invasive.org

Further information: