It’s now illegal to feed pigeons or squirrels anywhere in Toronto. Here’s why

New city bylaw prohibits the feeding of wildlife on public or private property in the city.

Thestar.com
April 3, 2023
Dhriti Gupta

Where Chris Stephens lives, anti-bird spikes line nearby roofs while a decoy hawk screech plays on a loop from a speaker at a neighbouring condo building. And still his eighth-floor balcony is covered in pigeon poop.

“I’ve lived here for seven or eight years and pigeons have been a problem the entire time,” said Stephens, who is a web developer.

He believes the root of the problem lies a three-minute walk away, near Yonge and Eglinton, where people often feed pigeons outside a local restaurant. Having easy and consistent access to an all-you-can-eat buffet nearby has resulted in pigeons roosting in Stephens’s balcony several days a month, he said.

On Saturday, new city regulations came into effect that might bring some peace to Torontonians like Stephens: as of April 1, feeding wildlife is prohibited on both public and private property in the city.

It’s now illegal in Toronto to feed the pigeons or ducks in High Park or offer peanuts to the squirrels on your back deck. Though initially the city simply wants to educate people about the dangers, ultimately, feeding wildlife could result in fines of hundreds of dollars.

Esther Attard, chief veterinarian and director of Toronto Animal Services, said feeding wildlife presents risks to both animals and humans. Feeding animals can increase their tolerance for proximity, she said, citing negative interactions with coyotes and foxes. “They’re conditioned to expect food from people,” Attard said. “They approach closer and are more curious because there may be a food reward.”

With easy access to garbage, critters like raccoons and rats can cause damage to property or infestations. Human food is often not a natural part of animal diets, Attard said. “It’s not what their digestive system is geared for.” She noted that the wrong food can cause an array of side effects ranging from tooth decay to increased reproductive capabilities.

Overcrowding can also lead to outbreaks of disease. Last October, Toronto saw a dramatic rise in reported animal carcasses due to the spread of canine distemper virus in raccoons. Avian flu is also of high concern, Attard said. “It’s a really nasty, highly pathogenic virus spread easily between birds.” Feeding birds can cause them to congregate, crowd and pass the disease.

Bird lovers take note: the new rule does not apply to songbirds. You’re still allowed to have a bird feeder in your backyard.

Attard said this exception is in line with other jurisdictions and is safe, granted the feeder is kept clean and doesn’t attract other wildlife. That means regularly picking up feed that falls to the ground, washing the container every two weeks, and changing the food so it doesn’t get mouldy after rain or snow.

“It’s additional work,” she acknowledged. “But if you don’t maintain your bird feeder, you could actually poison these animals.”

Andrea Macina, a volunteer co-ordinator, used to love watching the goldfinches, cardinals and blue jays that would visit her backyard in Scarborough. But when she adopted a hungry outdoor cat and the fallen seeds began attracting rats, Macina decided it would be easier (and more humane) to take the feeder down.

However, she’s worried the new ban under the city’s Animals bylaw will have social consequences. “I go to a lot of our local parks and find that people are very lonely, and this is kind of their outlet,” Macina said. “It brings joy to isolated individuals.

“It seems kind of sad that’s going to be taken away.”

Attard understands why people want to connect with wildlife. “As people we make connections through food,” she said. “But they need to think about the bigger picture and what it does to the animal.”

Attard said the city’s primary focus is to educate Torontonians and has launched a campaign on why it’s important to refrain from feeding wild animals. “We want it to be a conversation,” she said. “It’s not so much about being heavy-handed and penalizing people.”

After education, larger issues would be escalated through animal services. A bylaw officer would investigate the complaint, and depending on the situation, a fine could be issued. A number hasn’t been set just yet, but based on previous fines for feeding wildlife in parks, it could be around $365. The city asks that residents who see anyone feeding wildlife report the incident to 311.

The safest way to interact with wildlife, Attard said, is from a distance, in a way that doesn’t disrupt them.

Jill Finney, a hobbyist nature photographer, tries to embody that mindset when looking for subjects. She said learning about an animal’s behaviour can present great opportunities for sightings.

“Bird migration is almost upon us,” Finney said, noting that in the spring, there are plenty of midges by the lake. “If you want to see birds, go to the lake where the insects are. That’s what they eat.”

One of her favourite photos is a shot she once caught of a coyote howling in the woods. Finney didn’t bait it with food. “I’ve spent years walking around local ravines and forests, understanding where they are, how they move and watching their tracks in the winter.”

While she lives in Etobicoke, Finney also has a rural property near Kingston. She said she doesn’t spot nearly as many animals there as in Toronto. “We have incredible access to wildlife in the city.”

“There are ethical ways to interact with wildlife without interfering with them.”