HALIFAX—A new poll suggests slightly more than half of Halifax-area residents support a ban on street checks, and six in 10 support a police apology for the past use of street checks.

The Narrative Research Poll released on Thursday shows that 53 per cent of Halifax adult residents support a permanent ban on street checks, with 28 per cent “completely” supporting a ban.

But 42 per cent of respondents opposed a permanent ban on the practice, with 18 per cent “completely opposing” a ban.

On April 15, the city’s police board recommended that Halifax Regional Police and Halifax district RCMP immediately suspend street checks and apologize to Black Nova Scotians for the discriminatory practice. This was in the wake of a landmark report from Toronto criminologist Scot Wortley tabled in March showing that Black people in Halifax are six times more likely than white people to be subjected to street checks, also known as carding.

On April 17, Justice Minister Mark Furey directed Nova Scotia police to immediately stop using street checks. The release said stakeholders were working on recommendations for government to eventually “strictly regulate” the practice.

In the meantime, police were ordered to suspend street checks of pedestrians and passengers in motor vehicles. They can continue to conduct traffic stops to ensure compliance under the Motor Vehicle Act and the Criminal Code. The province said the moratorium will remain in effect until further notice.

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When pollsters asked Halifax-area residents about their support for a police apology for past street checks, 62 per cent agreed. In addition, 31 per cent said they would “completely support” an apology.

Opposition to an apology was pegged at 28 per cent.

“Our research shows that while more Halifax residents are in favour of an apology and a permanent ban, a substantial share of the city’s population is not in favour,” Margaret Brigley, CEO of Narrative Research, said in a media release.

“The debate over street checks is far from settled, as least in terms of public opinion in the Halifax area.”

The survey results are part of Narrative Research’s Urban Report, an independent quarterly telephone survey in the Maritimes’ major cities.

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The street check questions were asked of 400 adult Halifax-area residents from April 17 to May 6, 2019. Results are considered accurate to within +/- 4.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Narrative Research was formerly known as Corporate Research Associates.

Yvette d’Entremont is a Halifax-based reporter focusing on health. Follow her on Twitter: @ydentremont

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