Jul 14, 2021
By Christine Ross
Toronto could make it illegal to feed pigeons in both public and private spaces.
A motion by Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam cites pigeon droppings, property damage and rats – attracted by the bird’s discarded food – as reasons for the proposed ban.
“It is a carrier of disease in terms of the feces droppings, and they become a very costly nuisance, not just to individuals who are trying to get around the city and go about their business, but it’s also very costly to property owners,” said Wong-Tam.
Her motion says sidewalks, plazas and laneways in Toronto are overwhelmingly inundated with pigeons that continue to be attracted to those spaces because of food scattered by residents.
Toronto already has a bylaw that bans feeding or attempting to feed wildlife in parks but that doesn’t apply outside those green spaces and Wong-Tam argues that it isn’t actively enforced.
The municipal licensing and standards director report back next March on the feasibility of a pigeon-feeding ban.
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