Saint John Common Council passed the third reading of a proposed by-law Monday that will make feeding deer in the city illegal.
The new bylaw now means the city can apply to the province for a deer management program.
The bylaw comes after complaints from city residents who found deer to be a rising nuisance.
Transportation Commissioner Michael Hugenholtz said they will focus management efforts to problem areas identified in Millidgeville and Millford.
“We’re certainly focusing any kind of deer management program or even enforcement of this bylaw to areas where we know there are concerns,” he said.
He says while the ban is city-wide, it will be complaint based.
“We don’t anticipate going out full force and enforcing the bylaw everywhere,” he said.
“Our limited resources are going to be directed at those problem locations.”
Councillor Ray Strowbridge says his rural constituents don’t find deer to be a problem.
“Deer nuisance complaints that we’re receiving are typically in the denser areas of the city—what we may call the primary development area—and when we get out into the outer-skirts of the city, those problems don’t exist,” he said during the meeting.
Deputy Mayor Shirley McAlary was the only councillor who voted against the bylaw.
