Wetaskiwin house closed by sheriffs after drug, crime complaints

5312 51 Ave. in Wetaskiwin in August 2023. (Google Street View)

Alberta sheriffs have shut down a property in Wetaskiwin that was the subject of illegal drug use and criminal activity complaints.

The so-called problem property at 5312 51 Ave. is in a residential neighbourhood and within a short distance of schools.

The property will be closed for 90 days, starting Tuesday at noon, by court order.

It will be boarded up and the locks changed.

Sheriffs will monitor the property for activity until the closure period ends on June 1.

Safety order conditions remain in effect until Dec. 16, 2028, and certain people have been banned from visiting the property for three years, according to the province.

“Actions like this send a clear message to drug dealers: you are not welcome here,” Alberta Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis said in a news release.

“All Albertans deserve to feel safe and secure in their homes, without the disruption and risk that illegal activity brings. I continue to encourage residents to report any suspicious activity they see in their communities.”

The province says the property has been on police radar since the fall of 2024.