The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) has said it has no problem with Dysart et al’s bylaw prohibiting deer feeding in Haliburton village.
Responding to claims by Highlands businessman Phil Primavera, who owns Haliburton Feed and Seed on Mallard Road, that the legislation contravened the Ontario Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, MNRF spokesperson, Mike Fenn, gave the township the green light this week.
“Currently, there are no regulations under the Act that ban feeding wildlife… municipalities can create bylaws related to public safety, which can be affected by human-wildlife conflicts,” Fenn said. “Regulations can be made about feeding wildlife, including baiting for hunting.
“Baiting for hunting is allowed in some cases, but it’s not mandatory. Municipal bylaws that ban feeding or baiting wildlife do not conflict with provincial rules,” Fenn added, noting many other municipalities have implemented similar legislation.
Dysart introduced its bylaw in June 2023, initially outlawing deer feeding in Ward 1 between May 1 and Sept. 30, though an update last November made it a blanket ban – meaning no deer to be fed at any time.
Hailey Cole, a bylaw officer with the township, said four tickets have been issued so far this year, with violators fined $150 – though at least two tickets, issued to Primavera, were dropped.
Council implemented the new rules after hearing from Haliburton residents, Mike and Debra Landry, who said an increased presence of deer in the downtown area has led to more accidents on Haliburton’s roads – estimating around 100 collisions between animals and vehicles annually.
Others complained about deer destroying their personal gardens, while Country Rose owner, Shelley Stiles, told council deer have destroyed thousands of dollars of stock in recent years.
Primavera said he’s not dissuaded by the MNRF response. Since an initial story published in the Oct. 3 Highlander, he estimated around 150 people had visited his business to discuss the bylaw and sign his petition, calling for the legislation to be repealed. The petition now has more than 570 signatures.
“I’m still going to bring the petition to council – I think there’s a difference between [what MNRF] allows and what is constitutional,” he said.
Primavera feeds deer at his Mallard Road business – often fruits and vegetables past their prime. He said he’ll dump a pile beside his building and watch as deer emerge from the forest for a snack. This week, it was a batch of around 200 apples, which were gone within a day.
If he didn’t feed the deer, Primavera said he’d have been forced to take the apples to the landfill – creating unnecessary waste.
“They’re already complaining about the massive amount of garbage that’s going into the ground… I’d much rather let the wildlife have it,” he said.
Dysart mayor Murray Fearrey felt the MNRF response drew a line under the issue, reiterating council has no appetite to repeal or amend the bylaw.
