Council takes aim at Canada geese

Penticton Herald Staff Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Penticton council has confirmed plans to allow hunters help solve the Canada geese problem in the city. Council voted 6-1 Monday night to allow shooting of the birds on farmland during the fall and winter hunting season. No hunting will be permitted on beaches or parkland where other goose control measures will be carried out. The goose droppings have caused increasing concern about health on the city‘s beaches and parks in recent years. Penticton is following the lead of the Town of Oliver which issued six hunting permits this spring allowing goose to be shot at the airport and Tuc-el-Nuit Lake. A total of 18 geese were killed. Coun. Dan Albas said although some residents are opposed to shooting the geese, this is more of a public health issue. “I don‘t think anyone on this council doesn‘t respect natural wildlife, particularly the Canadian geese,” he said. Coun. John Vassilaki was the only council member opposed, reiterating his personal fear of guns in general. Council also voted to proceed with an expanded goose management program including eggs addling, scare tactics and public education against feeding the birds.

However, it will not increase funding for “hazing” of geese, with many councillors suggesting the birds just fly from one end of the beach to the other. “I‘m wondering about spending $25,000 on hazing when it doesn‘t really seem to have that much effect,” said Coun. Garry Litke. “It‘s just somebody chasing the birds around.” Litke and Coun. Judy Sentes suggested the money be spent on cleaning the goose droppings off the park lawns instead. While the Canadian Wildlife Service considers hazing as an integral part of goose control efforts, Mayor Dan Ashton voiced his frustration over the federal regulations. “How long does it take the federal government to realize that we‘re bending over backwards trying to move these geese?” he said. “They have to start listening to us, it‘s a bottomless pit.” He noted, based on a maximum flock size of 100 birds, the cost of the hazing program works out to $250 a bird.