Recent changes in home inspection enforcement with Parks Canada has a group of Jasperites concerned about infringements upon their personal freedoms.

“I’m a homeowner. My house is to code and I don’t appreciate this. It feels like an invasion of privacy,” said Patty Urie. “We haven’t done anything wrong, and now we have a uniformed officer going through our house.”

In 2009, Parks Canada took a second look at its home inspection policy surrounding mortgage applications, which has affected the number of inspections Jasper National Park (JNP) undertakes.

Urie said having parks officials go through closets and removing door knobs is particularly invasive.

The inspections also create a disturbance for tenants and landowners, she said.

She was particularly concerned that duplex owners can have their homes searched if their neighbour changes their mortgage in any way.

Urie and several other residents have written to Parks Canada about the issue, and included their input in Jasper’s draft community sustainability plan.

They want a more fair and equitable system that, in their words, reduces the invasion of privacy.

Parks Canada home inspections have three basic triggers: situations where ministerial consent is required, such as mortgage requests or the signage of a lease, public complaints, and the issuance of a building permit. The majority of inspections are a result of mortgage applications or changes, followed by lease expirations.

Since all buildings in Jasper are on crown land and subject to leasehold agreements, JNP has a responsibility to monitor land use. It’s an extremely unique situation, as even the Banff National Park has handed those powers over to the municipality.

Dave Kreizenbeck, the acting Realty Municipal Services manager with Jasper National Park explains that Parks Canada is approached for home inspections, and are not conducting them without specific requests.

“The inspections are driven by the lessee. They need consent from the crown and we have to conduct the inspections,” Kreizenbeck said.

In 2009, JNP took a second look at why banks were asking for Parks to sign off on mortgages. The banks were looking for consent that stated the leaseholds were in good standing, Kreizenbeck said, so JNP decided in order to complete due diligence, inspections were required.

“We had to verify the leaseholds were in good standing,” Kreizenbeck said. “For example, if an R1 home is not compliant with the zoning, we don’t issue the permit.”

All dwellings upon the leasehold are susceptible to inspection if parks is called in. That means if a unit in an apartment building requires an inspection, every unit does. Fire inspections are also often completed at the same time.

Kreizenbeck said home inspections often catch violations. In 2008, 30 per cent of inspections found homes that were non-compliant to zoning regulations.

That includes illegal suites, but also smaller issue, such as locks on extra bedrooms. The inspections also check eligible residency status.

“Most are addressed quickly,” Kreizenbeck said.

Inspections take about half an hour, plus another hour of paperwork, Kreizenbeck said.

He said the inspections also have a safety component, as those who make changes to their homes without a proper permit can create fire hazards and other problems. It’s also important for the fire department to know how many rooms are in a building if an evacuation is required.

He advises homeowners to consult with their realtors about the inspections.

Diana Laarz said there is a level of redundancy in the inspections as well. She built an addition on her house and required a line of credit, which resulted in an inspection. Six months later, the landhold lease on her home expired, and another inspection was triggered.

“It’s not that I have anything to hide. I have nothing that’s non-compliant. But it’s getting heavy handed,” Laarz said.

Kreizenbeck said a lot can change in six months, that’s why inspection permits only last for half a year.

Currently, homes that were built 42 years ago see their leases going up, so those in older homes can expect a visit from the Parks Realty team.

In Banff, the municipality handles all home inspections, as Parks Canada has handed those duties over to the to the town’s planning department. Darren Enns, senior planner with the Town of Banff said the municipality is in charge of those duties, but outside contractors are often used in mortgage situations.

“We do the building inspection permit in Banff. On complaints, such as illegal suites, we take action on our bylaw. For mortgages, that’s typically contracted out to a private contractor. We have access to contractors in the Bow Valley. I imagine Jasper wouldn’t have the same access,” Enns said.