N.S. looks to bring in regulations to discourage feeding wildlife

Truro Mayor Bill Mills knows all about what can go wrong when people feed wildlife.

Mills's town has become overrun with deer in recent years, to the point where the town got approval for a hunt within town limits to try to address the problem. Despite bylaws prohibiting feeding, Mills said it continues to be a problem.

"Once you start feeding them then they stay around the area where they're fed, then the next thing you know they have their new babies and guess what that's where the babies call home and the cycle just keeps on going," Mills said in an interview.

The provincial government hopes to address problems like this with amendments to the Wildlife Act.

The changes would allow for the development of regulations to discourage feeding wildlife. It would not apply to activities like feeding birds in backyard feeders.

Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton said concerns about interactions between wildlife and humans have been on the rise for years. He saidhis department wants to take steps to help reduce concerns about the spread of disease, damage to crops or cars hitting animals.

Rushton said the intention is to add some teeth to the legislation. Regulations would be developed in consultation with municipal officials and department staff, he said.

"If the issues aren't rectified, then there could be penalties that are incurred in the regulations," he said.

"I don't think anything is off the table right now, but we know we have issues."

Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood, whose town also struggles with a booming deer population, said the town's bylaws haven't done enough to stop the problem.

Mood said she's hoping the weight of the provincial government can help act as a stronger deterrent.

"People think the deer are cute," she said.

"They think there's no harm in feeding them, and until real legislation is brought down against that I think it's going to continue."

Not just deer

It's not just deer. Rushton saidhis office also fields concerns from some municipalities about interactions with bears.

Despite long-standing education programs, the minister said problems persist and it makes sense to revisit the legislation.

Mills said he welcomes any help his town can get from the province when it comes to enforcing rules against people feeding wildlife.

"That's the backup that we've always been looking for."

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