Problem coyotes should only be killed as last resort, expert panel tells City of Toronto

The City of Toronto’s response to a series of coyote attacks in downtown neighbourhoods aligns with best practices found in other cities, and problem animals should only be destroyed as a last resort, according to a new report recommending ways the city can enhance its coyote strategy.

The report, prepared by an expert panel, comes after several reported coyote attacks this winter in the city’s Fort York and Liberty Village neighbourhoods. Multiple pets have been injured or killed in the area since November, prompting residents to demand action from the city.

The panel recommends the city continue trying to deter coyotes through “hazing” or the use of deterrents, such as loud noises, to discourage them from coming too close to urban areas.

It also recommends that city staff scare off coyotes with their presence, loud noises or voices and handheld objects. However, the use of projectiles or bullets could make coyotes react defensively, the report says.

The city began sending staff to patrol on a daily basis about four months ago to monitor and deter coyote activity.

“If animal behaviour changes in a way that affects public safety, the city will consider a range of further actions,” the city said in a news release Tuesday. 

The city says two dogs have been killed so far this year in coyote attacks in the Liberty Village and Fort York neighbourhoods.

Should the problem persist, the report recommends the coyotes only be killed individually by trained specialists after careful assessment — but it recommends against culling the entire population in the area. 

WATCH | Downtown coyote attacks have communities concerned: 

Toronto residents concerned about coyote attacks in Liberty Village, Fort York

Residents of Liberty Village and Fort York are asking the city to step up to address coyote attacks in their neighbourhoods, noting six attacks were reported on Monday night alone. CBC’s Naama Weingarten has the story.

The city should also procure a company specializing in coyote management to assess coyotes in the area and apply and monitor these techniques, the report says, and report effectiveness back to the city.

Other recommendations include securing fences in the area, improving lighting and strongly enforcing bylaws against feeding wildlife and dumping garbage, to remove food sources.

“Our commitment now is to put these next steps in place, and we will be looking to do them immediately,” Carleton Grant, executive director of the city’s municipal licensing and standards department, told reporters Tuesday.

The city is already looking to procure a company trained to manage coyotes, and will continue to deploy bylaw enforcement officers to the neighbourhoods even after a company is hired. 

But residents like Ruby Kooner, who’s dog died after a coyote attack outside her Liberty Village building in November, say the report isn’t enough, and it’s taking the city too long to deal with the situation meaningfully.

“The fact that it lacks detail and timelines is a major issue,” she said. “How long are we going to let this escalate? How long till a child gets hurt?”

Kooner said she’d like to see the city consider relocating the coyotes, but the report found that’s not an option, as provincial legislation prevents coyotes from being moved more than one kilometre.

The problem stems from coyotes becoming conditioned to associate humans in the area as sources of food because of direct or indirect feeding, the report found. 

The report also found that local condo construction, and the redevelopment of nearby Ontario Place, have pushed the coyote population further into the neighbourhoods. The animals are living mostly in rail corridors and vacant lots, many of which are near public parks, where the high density of dogs are perceived as a threat. 

Aggressive behaviour toward dogs this time of year is typical, the report said, coinciding with the coyotes’ reproductive season.

Public education about dumping, wildlife feeding and dogs off leash remains key to ensuring locals stay safe and deter coyotes from coming too close, the report says. 

The report was prepared by an independent, third-party panel of seven experts with backgrounds in coyote management, animal control, biology and ecology, who reviewed incident reports, spoke with residents and investigated known coyote hotspots.

The report will inform upcoming updates to the city’s coyote response strategy, the city said in a news release.  Updates are expected to go before the city’s economic and community development committee later this year.