Naturist group plans protest at Prince's Island Park over police public nudity policy

A clothing-optional protest could take place August 30 at Prince's Island Park, depending on whether Calgary Police Service agrees to meet with advocates over the department's handling of public nudity incidents.

Jeff, founder and president of Calgary Nude Recreation—a naturist club he launched in 2017—says the demonstration will proceed if police don't respond to his request for a sit-down meeting by next Friday. He has given Calgary police a deadline to engage on what he describes as "public safety issues that they're creating."

The proposed protest stems from concerns that local naturists have become fearful of reporting crimes or altercations at Calgary's two clothing-optional beaches—one in Weaselhead Flats and another in Fish Creek Provincial Park—because they worry attending officers will cite them for public nudity. "People see calling the police as a gamble," Jeff said. "What happens is, troublemakers figure out that they can cause a ruckus in a clothing-optional area."

Jeff points to ample case law in Canada recognizing the legitimacy of recreational public nudity. The Supreme Court recognizes four "lawful excuses" for public nudity, he argued, which include running away from a sexual assailant or a burning building while naked. "There are already instances in our society where public nudity is already tolerated," he said. "If you have a lawful excuse, you're not breaking any law. The CPS refuses to address 'with lawful excuse' and pretend that sentence doesn't exist."

He said a memo from former Chief Mark Neufeld in 2024 acknowledged that Calgary Police Service had a lack of clear policy to guide officers on public nudity investigations and committed to develop a policy defining a "lawful excuse" to be naked in public. But Jeff alleges police have since backtracked. "Now suddenly, CPS is claiming all voluntary public nudity is banned and now they're threatening to charge me under Section 22 of the Criminal Code for my website and organized activities and counselling others for creating a criminal offence," Jeff said.

He added that he has been requesting a sit-down with police top brass since last October but "they refuse to engage with me."

The group made national headlines in 2018 after organizing a nude, after-hours swimming event at Southland Leisure Centre. The city cancelled the event before it occurred after it received backlash and some members received threats of violence.