City committee approves first new wildlife strategy since 2013, but critics want more change

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A joint city committee has approved a new wildlife strategy that includes hiring a wildlife resource specialist.

Among other roles, the specialist would provide support when the “large mammal protocol” kicks in — for example, if a bear is reported in a backyard or a homeowner discovers moose in their swimming pool.

The city’s human resources office has already put the wheels in motion to create a job description for the position — a mid-career biologist or natural resources specialist with experience in all types of wildlife management, including beavers, said Nicholas Stow, the city’s program manager for natural systems and rural affairs.

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Beavers were a particularly emotional issue Monday as the joint agricultural and rural affairs and environment and climate change committees contemplated a list of what would stay and what would go as the city rolls out its the first new wildlife strategy since 2013.

The report did not recommend any changes to the way the city manages beavers in municipal drains and stormwater ponds, which includes trapping and killing about 150 beavers a year to protect infrastructure such as culverts and stormwater ponds. The city, which has about 700 municipal drains and abut 1,000 hectares of wetland, also has a legal obligation under the Drainage Act to repair and maintain drains.

Stow said trapping beavers is permitted only under a restricted number of circumstances, primarily in managing the city’s stormwater facilities and municipal drains. It’s the opinion of the city’s professional engineers that the city needs the option of carrying out trapping in some locations to comply with environmental approvals, he said.

“We’re really constrained by the restrictions that the provincial regulations put upon us regarding the relocation of wildlife,” said Stow. “The province restricts where you can relocate wildlife. There’s a distance restriction, and for beavers in particular that restriction makes it impractical for us to relocate.”

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The same is true of bears, which can only be relocated if the province identifies an appropriate place for relocation, he said.

The strategy does recommend exploring alternative practices to trapping beavers, such as trying out flow devices outside municipal drains and stormwater infrastructure where it’s feasible and safe for the infrastructure. The wildlife resource specialist can help in evaluating these practices, the report said.

But flow devices were not appropriate in all parts of the city, said some rural councillors.

“I’m not advocating for the mass killing of beavers. But I do want to ensure that in rural Ottawa, where 700 municipal drains exist, that we ensure we take an approach that’s realistic and that protects the safety of the public and rural infrastructure,” said Rideau-Jock Coun. David Brown.

“I understand there are a lot of feelings and concerns around trapping and killing beavers. I just want it to be out there publicly that the city doesn’t embark on an annual campaign to trap and kill every beaver that we see.”

Under the new strategy, the city’s “large mammal response protocol” would kick in if a bear, moose or other large animal is sighted near where people live, the same as it does now.  The protocol is implemented by bylaw services, the NCC and the province where provincial wildlife regulations come into play. Police are called to respond if there’s a danger to the public.

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“We’re not anticipating any changes in the way we implement that protocol,” said Stow. “The wildlife resource specialist gives us an extra resource that we could bring forward to support that — for example, going door-to-door and working with property owners to ensure that they don’t have any attractants in their backyard.”

One of the principles of the wildlife strategy review was that human health and safety are the city’s highest priority. But the recommendations added that human-wildlife relations should be based on respectful co-existence. “Humans have an ethical responsibility to avoid causing unnecessary suffering of animals, regardless of any question of animal rights.”

The other major change in the new strategy is improving public education, including creating an advisory board of wildlife experts and service providers to meet twice a year to provide advice on subjects such as the seasonal behaviour and movement of animals, as well as a bi-annual review of information about wildlife on its web pages.

College Ward Coun, Laine Johnson said she learned a lot when a bear travelled through parts of her ward in April 2023 before it was shot by police in Kanata.

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Sometimes people don’t know what to do, she said. “People were expecting a service request to be opened and it wasn’t. I think in terms of communications on the website, it’s a bit janky at this moment.”

The new strategy also recommended implementing policies on wildlife crossings by identifying and prioritizing stretches of road where wildlife protection should be considered as well as building on the relationship with Ottawa Public Health to monitor wildlife-transmitted diseases such a Lyme disease.

It also recommended negotiating a three-year pilot project agreement with Coyote Watch Canada to train volunteer groups to help investigate coyote-human conflicts and offer education, prevention and enforcement. The pilot project would cost $48,000 a year.

“We’re getting to a better spot,” said River Ward Coun. Coun, Riley Brockington. “And for me, it’s always about co-existence. Coyotes aren’t evil. Beavers aren’t evil. Bears aren’t evil. We’re in their territory This is about how we co-exist.”

Sixteen people and groups had signed up to make presentations to the joint committee. Some were disappointed that the updated strategy did not include protections for beavers.

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Paul Johanis, chair of the Greenspace Alliance of Canada’s Capital, said other municipalities have met their legal obligation to protect drainage infrastructure while keeping beavers on the landscape. Trying new approaches but only outside the city’s infrastructure is “far too restrictive,” he said.

“It will not address most of the beaver mortality. So, at a minimum, we would like to see trials of these approaches in selected municipal drains and other stormwater infrastructures to ascertain how in Ottawa’s context flow devices could potentially be used.”

It was shocking how little real change is in the report, said Donna DuBreuil, president of the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre, who called for a public meeting with city staff, drainage engineers and an expert on flow devices to review city practices and offer alternative measures.

Stow hopes that the number of beavers trapped and killed will drop as the new strategy is rolled out. But the city also faces limitations, he said.

“We don’t have the authority to go on private property, except when there is a municipal drain on the property.”

The strategy will be in front of city council on June 25.

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