Burlington residents could now face fines as high as $100,000 as City tries to manage coyote problem

The City has made changes with the goal of preventing future coyote-on-human attacks.

Burlington council approved a string of bylaw updates that clarify Animal Control Officers' powers of entry, increase fines for animal violations and allow for the collection of these fines through the City's tax roll. Announced on Sept. 21, the changes are part of the city's coyote management response that followed seven separate unprovoked attacks on people by coyotes.

On Sept. 20, Burlington announced it had eliminated the third and final coyote they believed to be responsible for the attacks.

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, said she wants to thank everyone who took part in the response to the coyote attacks.

While we collectively breathe a sigh of relief, our City's Animal Control staff will continue to be on watch doing their best to ensure these coyote attacks won't happen again. It is critically important for our residents and community to understand these coyotes became aggressive because they lost their fear of humans due to being fed intentionally or unintentionally. We don't want to have to eliminate a wild animal - but public safety must come first," said Meed Ward.

The bylaw changes improve the city's ability to deal with the human behaviour that is believed to be the background cause of the recent attacks.

Animal Control Officers now have the discretion to issue tickets of $300, previously $150, or issue a court summons with an increased fine range from $500 up to a maximum of $100,000, previously, the limit was $5,000. A summons is usually reserved for serious offenses and repeat offenders.

As part of the changes to Burlington's Animal Control Bylaw the penalty section was changed with a number of additions, including "Every person who contravenes any provision of this By-law or who obstructs a By-law Enforcement Officer in carrying out their duties under this By-law is guilty of an offence under Part III of the Provincial Offences Act, is liable to a fine pursuant to the Municipal Act, 2001, as follows: (a) a minimum fine of $500 and a maximum fine of $100,000.00."

Additional updates to the bylaw include changes to include definitions around feeding wildlife, including coyotes. It also allows officers to legally enter onto private property when carrying out inspections related to bylaw investigations.

Tim Commisso, Burlington City Manager, said feeding of the local coyotes was the main reason for the attacks.

Burlington City Council approved the staff recommendations to increase the fines and give our officers the authority they need to keep residents safe from wildlife becoming unnecessarily aggressive. Increased fines and allowing Animal Control and Bylaw Officers to act swiftly are what the City of Burlington must do to stop the feeding of wildlife, including coyotes," said Commisso.

Residents are asked to report their concerns about direct or indirect feeding of wildlife to Animal Control at animalshelter@burlington.ca or 905-335-3030 and are reminded that hand and ground feeding wildlife on private or public property is prohibited by the City's Lot Maintenance Bylaw (49-2022) and is subject to a fine.

The City is asking residents to continue to be vigilant and report coyote sightings at www.burlington.ca/coyotes.