The City of Kimberley is calling on the Provincial Government for help dealing with the urban deer issue.
City Council unanimously agreed to send a letter to the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations about the situation with urban deer in the community.
Mayor Don McCormick says Kimberley has been struggling with urban deer for more than ten years, with options to deal with the deer dwindling due to BC Government restrictions.
He says something needs to be done, as residents reported around 218 encounters with deer in the region to WildSafeBC this year alone.
McCormick says culling and translocation used to be an option, but both of those have ran into issues with either vandalism from animal activists or risks of Chronic Wasting Disease.
“The fact is we have no tools left,” McCormick says. “The Province gives us tools and the Province taketh away and at this point, we have zero tools to deal with it.”
Councillor Jason McBain agreed with McCormick, saying the same action needs to be taken against aggressive deer as other problem wildlife.
“If that was a bear or a cougar, they would be dead,” McBain says. “I’m kind of tired of the deer getting off easy, I guess there’s no other way to say that. So I think this is a really good start, I think this is just something that needs to happen.”
McCormick says the issue is urgent and the city needs help from the Province to ensure the safety of the community.
– Kimberley Mayor Don McCormick
– Kimberley City Councillor Jason McBain
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