Following a recent visit to a long-term care facility during which tickets were handed out to residents of the home, BayToday has learned by-law enforcement has ticketed a total of five people since a City of North Bay by-law prohibiting pigeon feeding came into effect.
North Bay City Council passed the by-law in February 2023, and with it, offences and set fines prohibiting the feeding of pigeons in the City of North Bay, except in certain settings. Fines range from $100 for feeding pigeons or depositing food likely to attract pigeons. Obstructing or failing to comply with an order carries a $200 penalty.
See related: The detriment is the excrement when it comes to local pigeon
At Waters Edge Care Community on William Street in North Bay, two regular activities — the feeding of pigeons and smoking by residents near the main entrance — have resulted in multiple, ongoing complaints to the administration and were deemed enough of a nuisance that multiple signs were affixed marking the non-smoking area nine metres from the front door.
New signs have recently gone up alongside the non-smoking signs warning against feeding wildlife. The habitual feeding of pigeons on the sloped driveway at Waters Edge resulted in flocks of the birds blocking the way used by visitors, the parabus, and ambulances in emergencies.
See also: Butt out: By-law update would prohibit smoking in these places
When the signs did not completely deter the practices, Waters Edge got by-law enforcement involved with monitoring the area. In December 2023, a majority vote by the council added, at Waters Edge's request, the home to the list of workplaces and apartment buildings where smoking within nine metres of an entrance is prohibited and subject to enforcement and possible fines.
One resident confirmed they had received a warning from a by-law officer about feeding the pigeons but claimed that warning came the day after they had already received a $100 ticket. The resident also claimed the officer had video proof. The City of North Bay maintains by-law enforcement defaults to warnings and education before ticketing and an officer had made several recent visits to the area.
See: This new by-law is literally for the birds
"Typically, a resident will be warned to stop feeding and to remove the feed site. This single attendance will solve most complaints. If the resident chooses not to stop, a fine will be issued," advised Ron Melnyk, the City's by-law enforcement coordinator in 2023.
Melnyk's report included the Pigeon Feeding By-Law, and noted, "In recent years, there have been an increasing number of complaints relating to issues caused by the feeding of pigeons. The complaints are primarily due to property damages and health concerns resulting from increased pigeon populations. These increased populations are a direct result of feeding. Many locations that have never had pigeons now have increasing populations due to a single feeding site."
