Geocaching Permits To Become A Reality

This article was originally published on Cache Up NB. It has been mirrored here for archive purposes only.

In a statement released today, New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant announced another plan to help boost the economy within the province, combined with an effort to combat possible terrorism within our region.

In a move that no one saw coming, Gallant announced that effective immediately, any participant in the outdoor activity of geocaching must now obtain a permit to do so. The new permits will run approximately $30/year for individuals who only wish to find geocaches, whereas those who wish to hide, will have to pay an additional $30/year. Individuals who do not obtain a legal permit may face up to $500 in fines.

Along with the new permits, Gallant has also introduced legislation that will make many of the popular geocache types illegal within the province of New Brunswick. The so called “lamp post caches” or LPCs will now be deemed illegal as they could be construed as an act of terrorism.

“There have been far too many incidents of mistaken identity when it comes to these hidden containers. With this new legislation, we hope to finally put an end to it”, Gallant said in a recent interview.

Those caught hiding caches in illegal locations, could face severe fines or possibly even jail time under Bill C-36, the Canadian Anti-Terrorism Act.

Under the new permit system, geocache hiders will be required to provide the coordinates, container size, and physical container type to the provincial government through a new website which is still under development. Geocachers who choose not to hide geocaches will continue to do so in the same ways they always have.

Local geocacher, Not4U2No, is not happy about the change.

I think it’s ludicrous. We’re not harming anyone. We’re certainly not planting bombs or anything crazy like that. This is just another example of the government getting involved in something it has no business being anywhere near.

The provincial government expects to raise approximately $6,000 per year from the permits. That money will be spent coming up with even better ideas than this one.