Ottawa could explore bylaw cracking down on feeding wildlife in next term of council

A rat seen in a backyard in Overbrook. Sept. 27, 2024. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)

The City of Ottawa will explore a bylaw to crackdown on residents feeding rodents and wildlife around their homes during the next term of council.

The emergency preparedness and protective services committee approved a motion from Coun. Laura Dudas to direct staff to include studying a possible Wildlife Feeding Bylaw as part of the Bylaw Review during the 2026-2030 term of council.

“It is odd to me that, as a city, we have regulations, bylaws to cover pretty much everything in the kitchen sink, yet if I wanted to go out and spoon-feed a bear in my backyard, there’s nothing that bylaw could do about that,” Dudas said during Thursday’s council meeting.

The motion notes Ottawa’s Animal Care and Control Bylaw looks at domestic animals, but does not regulate the feeding of animals. It adds the feeding of wildlife can result in animals becoming dependent on humans, and “unintended attraction of rodents such as rats and mice.”

Dudas says her motion was intended to start a conversation about how the city proceeds with dealing with wildlife in residential areas.

“Over the last several years, my office has heard from many residents who are increasingly concerned about wildlife conflicts in our neighbourhoods – from rats, raccoons, skunks, even coyotes and, in some rare cases, bears,” Dudas said.

“Most of this activity is being fuelled by easy access to food, and whether it’s intentional or unintentional, one of the concerns that stems from that is wild animals are being brought to our neighbourhoods and being fed directly.”

According to the motion, Toronto introduced bans on wildlife feeding, with regulated exceptions for birds, fishing, research and cultural practices.

Coun. Matthew Luloff said councillors receive complaints about rats in their neighbourhoods.

“We can deal with one of the three things right now that attracts rats to people’s properties; that’s shelter, but they also require food and water,” Luloff said.

Luloff said the motion from Dudas isn’t about “giving a chipmunk a nut.”

“This is about health and safety and protecting property, which has been a major problem.”

Coun. Riley Brockington said there will be “lots of opportunities” to “mould the scope” of the staff investigation into a possible bylaw to crackdown on feeding rodents and wildlife.

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