Amendments to Wildlife Act

The government has introduced amendments to the Wildlife Act that will protect the province’s wildlife and help wildlife and people coexist without conflict.

Under the amendments, tabled in the legislature today, March 24, the government can develop regulations to discourage the feeding of wildlife.

“Feeding is typically driven by good intentions, and people’s wish to enjoy wildlife, but it can lead to the spread of disease and risks to the health and safety of people and wildlife,” said Natural Resources and Renewables Minister Tory Rushton. “The ability to develop new regulations will help address this growing problem by focusing on problematic or chronic situations without affecting traditional or low-risk activities or people’s enjoyment of wildlife.”

The Department of Natural Resources and Renewables responds to thousands of calls about human-wildlife conflict each year. Situations include wildlife showing bold or threatening behaviours, property destruction, crop or livestock damage and public safety concerns. Wildlife feeding, whether deliberate or unintentional, can be a significant contributor to these conflicts.

The Province will consult with stakeholders and municipalities to develop regulations that target problematic situations that impact the safety of people and wildlife. The regulations will not apply to low-risk activities like backyard bird feeding.

Quotes:

“The Town of Truro has been dealing with a high population of urban deer for several years now. The Town has had a Wildlife Feeding Bylaw in place since 2006 and has continued to educate residents on the importance of this issue. In completing our Deer Management Strategy in 2021, we know that the most important tool is to stop residents from feeding the deer. With the provincial government introducing these amendments, it will help to reinforce the importance of this issue, and further help municipalities with this growing concern.”

– Bill Mills, Mayor, Truro

“Many people feed wildlife with the best of intentions or think it's necessary to help animals survive. However, this is misguided kindness. Natural diets are more varied and more nutritious than human-sourced foods. Wild animals can become dependent on human food. Feeding can also lead to wildlife mortality and conflict situations with people. The best way we can care for wildlife is to address activities that put animals at risk.”

– Dr. Megan Jones, veterinarian and Regional Director, Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative-Atlantic Region

Quick Facts:

• while the regulations will not apply to backyard bird feeding, Nova Scotians should avoid feeding or handling wild birds and stop using birdfeeders to prevent disease spread of avian influenza
• new wildlife feeding regulations will help reduce the incidence of orphaned or injured animals

Additional Resources:

Bills tabled in the legislature this spring are available at: https://nslegislature.ca/legislative-business/bills-statutes/bills/assembly-64-session-1

Information on Nova Scotia wildlife and biodiversity: https://novascotia.ca/natr/wildlife/

Mandate letter of the Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-NRR.pdf

Natural Resources and Renewables on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NS_DNRR