A controversial plan to cull around 150 geese in Vernon, B.C., likely won’t go ahead this year for procedural reasons.
The planned cull required both provincial and federal permits and the federal paperwork isn’t expected to be processed in time to do a cull this year.
“Representatives from the federal government have recently indicated that they do not have the capacity to review the complex application in order to complete the cull this year,” a city staff report to council said.
“Our application is not the only one that is facing the same issues. Without the approval from the federal government, staff cannot complete the cull.”
June was seen as an ideal time to complete the cull as the birds are moulting and can’t fly.
However, from the start, the city acknowledges that getting the paperwork in place for this June might be too tight a timeline.
In January, city council approved spending $41,000 on the cull.
That budget was revised to $40,000 in February.
Proponents argued the birds can be aggressive and hurt agricultural production, and their droppings can prevent people from enjoying public space and impact water quality.
However, hundreds of people signed three online petitions against the cull.
Some opponents of the proposed goose cull felt the city was moving too quickly to kill the birds.
They believed other non-lethal options should be considered, including landscaping changes, to deter the geese from becoming a nuisance in recreational areas.
The Animal Alliance of Canada argued against the goose cull, saying communities often find a cull is not a long-term solution as populations bounce back.
The city said landscaping changes had been considered and council only approved the cull because other tactics like egg addling, to prevent new geese from hatching, and scaring the birds weren’t effective enough.
Later this month city staff is expected to provide council with a report on the city’s options now that it’s become clear that federal permitting for a cull will be delayed.