Beginning on September 12, 2026, Canadian snowbirds who own property in Arizona will benefit from stronger protections against illegal squatters, following the passage of important new legislation designed to help homeowners regain possession of unlawfully occupied properties. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs recently signed Senate Bill 1426 into law after the measure received broad bipartisan support in the Arizona legislature. The Canadian Snowbird Association has been expressing our concern to Arizona officials regarding this issue since the summer of 2024 and we welcome the passage of this legislation as an important victory for Canadian seasonal homeowners in Arizona. For snowbirds, the issue is particularly significant. Unlike year-round Arizona residents, many Canadians leave their properties vacant for a significant portion of the year. If an unauthorized individual occupies a seasonal residence while the owner is back in Canada, resolving the situation can be complicated, expensive and extremely stressful. SB1426 ‒ introduced by Arizona state Senator Wendy Rogers ‒ is intended to make the process considerably faster. Under the new law, qualifying property owners will be able to pursue an expedited forcible-detainer process when an unauthorized occupant refuses to leave a residential property. In simple terms, a forcible-detainer action is a court proceeding used to determine who has the immediate legal right to possess a property. Rather than forcing a homeowner to become involved in lengthy litigation over every possible issue surrounding a property, the process focuses primarily on possession: who has the legal right to be there? The legislation establishes safeguards to ensure that the expedited procedure is directed at genuine cases of unlawful occupancy, rather than legitimate landlord-tenant disputes. Among other requirements, the occupant cannot be a current or former tenant, cannot have a prior written or verbal agreement permitting occupancy and cannot be an immediate family member of the property owner. Once a judgment is entered in favour of the homeowner, an order restoring possession of the property may be issued immediately. For Canadian snowbirds who may be thousands of kilometres away when an unlawful occupation occurs, having access to a faster and more clear legal remedy represents a significant improvement. To repeat, the CSA has strongly and vocally supported efforts in Arizona to strengthen protections against unlawful occupancy. In 2024, similar legislation passed the Arizona legislature but was vetoed by Governor Hobbs. We continued to support stronger protections for seasonal homeowners following that setback and welcomed renewed efforts by Arizona lawmakers to address the problem. The enactment of SB426 demonstrates the value of our continuing advocacy issues on behalf of our members. Canadians make an enormous contribution to Arizona’s economy and local communities. Seasonal residents purchase homes, pay property taxes and support countless local businesses throughout the winter months. They deserve reasonable and effective protection of their property when they return to Canada. Arizona lawmakers deserve credit for addressing this issue on a bipartisan basis. On behalf of the Canadian Snowbird Association, I would like to thank Senator Rogers for introducing this legislation and Governor Hobbs for signing the measure into law. The CSA is proud to have strongly supported this initiative, and we will continue to advocate for laws that protect Canadian seasonal homeowners ‒ wherever they choose to spend the winter months. For Arizona snowbirds, many of whom are our western Canadian members, the message is encouraging: stronger protection against unlawful occupancy, providing greater certainty and greater peace of mind when they lock the door and return to Canada each spring. The new, six-lane Gordie Howe International Bridge between Windsor and Detroit is now open for business. It creates an additional full-service border crossing in the WindsorDetroit corridor, with direct connections to Ontario’s Highway 401 and Michigan’s interstate system. The new crossing may reduce reliance on the Ambassador Bridge and provide an alternative during congestion, closures or severe delays. Members should compare routes, tolls and live border-wait times prior to departure ‒ information which is readily available online. Please consider joining us in September for the free Snowbird Concert Series celebrating the snowbird lifestyle with an outstanding, all-Canadian lineup featuring fiddler Ashley MacIsaac, comedian Bruce McCulloch and singer-songwriter Carolyn Dawn Johnson, along with a special presentation from yours truly. Shows take place on September 15-24 and begin in Ontario in St. Catharines, Port Hope, Oshawa and Belleville. We will then head west for shows in Kelowna, British Columbia and Sherwood Park, Alberta. We conclude our concert series with events in Regina, Saskatchewan and Brandon, Manitoba. Look for specific dates and times elsewhere in this issue of the magazine. President’s Message Garry McDonald CSA President 12 | www.snowbirds.org
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