Urban deer management on the table

Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

Deer visit a yard in Penticton

The management of urban deer is again under discussion by Penticton city council.

The council will take another look at the ongoing issue at tonight's (Monday) meeting.

The staff recommendation is that council direct them to pursue one of the following options.

Option one is direction to commence the work necessary for completion of an urban deer relocation pilot program and partnership with the Penticton Indian Band, for the relocation of approximately 30 deer from the city to PIB lands.

It also includes working with the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and the PIB in preparing a general permit application for the proposed relocation program.

And lastly that staff prepare a request for proposals for a qualified contractor experienced with relocating deer to undertake the work in association with the PIB in the early spring of 2014.

The second option is direction to commence a public consultation process to assess the community's desire for a capture and relocation program for the deer, with the program starting in January 2015, and that staff bring a report to an open meeting in 2014 outlining the proposal and consultation process.

The third option is staff be asked to undertake an alternative course of action in regards to the issue.

The last is that staff take no further action regarding the matter at this time.

The city has been dealing with the deer since the middle of 2011, but were awaiting the outcome of a court case involving the District of Invermere and the Invermere Deer Protection Society.

The decision in that case allows communities to continue on with their respective deer management strategies and community based processes.

Most recently, they met with PIB members to discuss a partnership to deal with the matter. The PIB has expressed an interest in working with the city to assist with the deer management.