Vancouver Park Board to discuss Canada goose population plan

The population of Canada geese in Vancouver has exploded, and the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation says it’s time to do something about it.

A staff report shows there are about 2,200 geese in the city, and that number grows by 20 per cent each year.

On Monday evening, commissioners will discuss two options staff have presented to control the number of geese. Staff explain that the resident geese in the city, which have the biggest impact on parks and are introduced, are “distinct from native, migratory geese.”

“Their primary impacts include damage to infrastructure and sensitive ecosystems like shorelines and native plantings, and high-density fecal matter on beaches, pathways, and grass, which impact the use and enjoyment of
green spaces across the city,” the report from staff reads.

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The city notes because of the geese, it has seen an increase in the number of 311 calls regarding damage by the birds at Carnarvon and Connaught parks, as well as at beaches and on manicured lawns at John Hendry Park, English Bay beach, and Lost Lagoon.

“Management of the Canada goose population in Vancouver requires a park-specific and strategic implementation plan focused on humane treatment, regional collaboration, and long-term investment to maintain an operationally acceptable goose population size and distribution,” staff say in the report.

The first option is to addle geese eggs in as many as 700 nests. The process of addling terminates the embryo by swapping the freshly laid eggs with previously frozen ones. When the eggs fail to hatch, the bird flies away, the park board says.

The park board also aims to modify the landscape where geese usually lay eggs to make it less attractive to the birds. The board adds it will also increase enforcement of wildlife feeding bylaws in the city.

The second option being presented includes everything in the first, along with actually physically removing the geese from city parks. Both options have a long-term timeline of between five to 20 years.

Staff say while it is not using the term “cull,” it may use “humane removal of geese … It means using humane methods approved by regulators to end the life of the geese.”

“The Canada Goose is a familiar and appreciated bird in Vancouver and elsewhere that has unfortunately caused notable issues for park management and the enjoyment of parks by residents and visitors.

“The Plan is the first step to guiding a robust response that includes implementing actions, monitoring success, and adaptive learning for long-term population management, to achieve a balance between geese, the environment, and people in parks,” park board staff said.

-With files from Dean Recksiedler