By Staff
February 4, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison knows a good local issue when he sees one: Coyotes.
The creatures are showing up with more regularity than usual. One city resident watched in horror as a coyote killed her pet.
Coyote about to pounce on a mouse scurrying beneath the snow.
It’s an emotional issue – and there is nothing more effective than an emotional issue to get the folks out for a meeting. A good politician can make good political mileage out of emotional issues. Dennison’s Ontario Municipal Board hearing later in March will be another that ward four residents will be watching; many would have liked that hearing to have taken place before the municipal election.
Dennison is holding two public meetings on the issue – he has held this kind of meeting before – the Gazette has reported on these in the past.
Dennison has positioned the meeting as an “opportunity for you to provide feedback on a proposed new by-law that would prohibit the feeding of nuisance wildlife (i.e. coyotes, raccoons, skunks, chipmunks, foxes) in our city.”
There will be a meeting in North Burlington on Wednesday, February 25, 2015; 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Tansley Woods Community Centre, 1996 Itabashi Way, Community Rooms 1 and 2
Another in South Burlington: Thursday, March 26, 2015, 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Central Arena, 519 Drury Lane.
There are some that might take issue with Tansley Wood being described a “north” Burlington. The northern part of ward four would be more correct.
It would be great if he were as respectful of zoning by-laws.
Good grief – another By-Law….sorry but no one has to “feed” raccoons or skunks, they can get into our garbage cans on their own. I’m sure no one feeds coyotes, if they were being fed by humans they would not have the need to attack pets. Are they throwing fox’s and chipmunks in for good measure….Sorry I do not like where this is going. Guess if one wanted to winter feed the Cardinals and Blue Jays these birds could also be thrown in with the nuisance wildlife. Oh yes, they are already talking about those kinds of feeders are attracting other “nuisance” wildlife so therefore they must also go as some considers that as part of the “problem”. I have been around for over 70 years and this is getting ridiculous….If we have a problem with Coyotes it’s because us humans have destroyed their natural habitat. We didn’t have these problems until us humans took away the open fields that were their homes. We don’t need a By-Law but maybe the den’s of City Coyotes should be constantly destroyed and they will, I’m sure, move on. Never mind another By-Law, how about just dealing with the nuisance animals as always. Allow City hall to OK, destroying Coyotes dens, let’s throw in the geese, we already oil their eggs and I’m sure the folks at LaSalle Marina would love to get rid of the Swans, after all they want to expand the Marina at the cost of the Swans habitat so why not use this new by-law to stop the general public from enjoying these magnificent creatures and while we are at it lets ban people from hand feeding the birds, after all seeds fall to the ground and that encourages chipmunks. Just think of the money City Hall can generate by having a by-law officer patrol LaSalle Park when so many of the general public enjoy sunny days with water and wild life. Speaking of the Marina just who is going to back (co-sign or borrow on behalf of) the loan for their future plans, bet that deal would be another closed door meeting.
How do you prohibit feeding these animals? Inspectors checking everyone’s backyard? I have a bird feeder and there are nuts that fall on the ground on occasion, and squirrels and chipmunks eat them. I see no harm in that. Are you saying I could get charged with this?
The issue with coyotes is a little more than feeding them. It’s killing them before they kill our pets, or God forbid our children! It’s not only coyotes btw … my brother recently had an issue with wolves north of Carlisle attacking his dogs by his barn. See Flamborough Review.