Saskatoon City Council passes wildlife feeding ban, bird feeders exempt

An updated city bylaw in Saskatoon prohibits residents from feeding wildlife on all public and private property in the city, though there is an exception for bird feeders.

The amendments to the city’s animal control bylaw, passed on Wednesday, bar residents from intentionally feeding animals or leaving out attractants like food, compost or garbage “with the intent of attracting wildlife or that could attract wildlife.”

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For the purpose of the bylaw, the term wildlife was defined as “any vertebrate animal that is wild by nature in Saskatchewan,” and includes coyotes, foxes, raccoons, rabbits and deer.

There is an exemption for bird feeders, however.

“Residents may continue to feed birds on private property using a bird feeder that is above grade to prevent access to other wildlife,” the city explained in a statement.

The fines for those feeding wild animals start at $250, the city noted, then increase to $500 for a second offence and $1,000 for a third offence.

“These bylaw updates reflect best practices from other municipalities and support our efforts to maintain a safe and healthy urban environment,” Thai Hoang, Saskatoon’s parks director, explained in a statement.

“Feeding dangerous wildlife, even unintentionally, can lead to increased risks and poor outcomes for both animals and residents.”

Issues with wildlife came before council earlier this spring, after a number of reports of coyote sightings in the city.

According to the city, Saskatoon’s Urban Biological Services team received 214 calls regarding coyotes in 2024, a significant jump from the 78 coyote calls fielded in 2023. In 2022, the team received just 16 calls from residents about coyotes.

Ward 5’s Randy Donauer advocated for the ban, noting that while feeding wildlife was already banned under provincial regulations, adding the ban to the city’s bylaws would strengthen enforcement.

“I realize there’s going to be wildlife in the city, and that’s fine, but we’re seeing problems and erratic behavior, and people have safety concerns,” Donauer said in March.

Darrell Crabbe, the executive director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, has also warned residents not to feed coyotes.

“They can turn on the hand that feeds them very, very quickly,” he said.

“They also can become very aggressive at that point, because they’ve lost some of the fear they should have toward human beings,” he explained.

Crabbe noted that coyotes are scavengers, often going after garbage that is left laying around.

“It’s all about attractants. You have to make sure you don’t become part of the statistics by leaving food out or by presenting opportunities for them,” he said.

More information on Saskatoon’s wildlife management programs can be found on the city’s website.

–with files from 650 CKOM’s Mia Holowaychuk