Nova Scotia considers new rules for bar bouncers, justice minister says

Josh Hoffman · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 20, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 infinitesimal ago

The Nova Scotia authorities is considering caller regulations for bouncers, according to Justice Minister Becky Druhan.

 It comes aft immoderate household members of loved ones who died extracurricular bars criticized the state implicit accountability.

Two of those household members called retired the authorities astatine Province House past period for introducing a bill that would repeal authorities that hasn't been proclaimed wrong a decade, including the Security and Investigative Services Act that passed successful 2010.

Since the enactment has ne'er been proclaimed it ne'er took effect. It would person required all information officials moving astatine bars and lounges successful the state to person transgression inheritance checks, grooming and beryllium licensed.

"The Department of Justice and Service Nova Scotia person been moving unneurotic to see what our adjacent steps are," said Druhan. "We volition beryllium gathering with the families."

The state implemented changes for bouncers astatine late-night bars, which person cabaret licences, pursuing the decease of Ryan Sawyer extracurricular the Halifax Alehouse successful 2022. Druhan wouldn't accidental if the latest changes nether information are akin to those conditions.

Family confirms gathering scheduled

Ryan Sawyer's mother, Lee, was 1 of the household members who spoke successful beforehand of MLAs successful March.  

She told MLAs astatine the clip she can't understand wherefore the authorities hasn't proclaimed the Security and Investigative Services Act oregon travel up with a replacement.

The rules introduced aft her son's decease don't spell acold capable and lone use to a fistful of bars, Sawyer said astatine the time. 

She confirmed with CBC News she's gathering with authorities officials astatine the extremity of the month, but said via substance connection she hasn't been told what volition beryllium discussed.

B.C., Alberta, Quebec and Ontario person authorities regarding bouncers and information staff. 

The household of Stephen Giffin lobbied successive governments aft helium died aft being beaten by bouncers extracurricular a downtown barroom successful 1999. That effort continued until the Security and Investigative Services Act passed 11 years later. 

Giffin's household said it only learned the authorities had not been proclaimed aft Ryan Sawyer died nether akin circumstances.