Problem coyotes should only be killed as last resort, expert panel tells City of Toronto

Ethan Lang · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 18, 2025 2:44 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

The City of Toronto's effect to a bid of coyote attacks successful downtown neighbourhoods aligns with champion practices recovered successful different cities, and occupation animals should lone beryllium destroyed arsenic a past resort, according to a caller report.

The report, prepared by an adept panel, comes aft respective reported coyote attacks this wintertime successful the city's Fort York and Liberty Village neighbourhoods. Multiple pets person been injured or killed successful the country since November, prompting residents to request enactment from the city.

The sheet recommends the metropolis proceed trying to deter coyotes done "hazing" or the usage of deterrents, specified arsenic large noises, to discourage them from coming excessively adjacent to municipality areas.

It besides recommends that metropolis unit scare disconnected coyotes with their presence, large noises oregon voices and handheld objects. However, the usage of projectiles oregon bullets could marque coyotes respond defensively, the study says.

The metropolis began sending unit to patrol connected a regular ground astir 4 months ago to show and deter coyote activity.

"If carnal behaviour changes successful a mode that affects nationalist safety, the metropolis volition see a scope of further actions," the metropolis said successful a quality merchandise Tuesday. 

Should the occupation persist, the study recommends they lone beryllium killed individually by trained specialists aft cautious appraisal — but it recommends against culling the full colonisation successful the area. 

WATCH | Downtown coyote attacks person communities concerned: 

The metropolis should besides procure a institution specializing successful coyote absorption to measure coyotes successful the country and use and show these techniques, the study says, and study effectiveness backmost to the city.

Other recommendations see securing fences successful the area, improving lighting and powerfully enforcing bylaws against feeding wildlife and dumping garbage, to region nutrient sources.

The occupation stems from coyotes becoming conditioned to subordinate humans successful the country arsenic sources of nutrient due to the fact that of nonstop oregon indirect feeding, the study found. 

The study besides recovered that section condo construction, and the redevelopment of adjacent Ontario Place, person pushed the coyote colonisation further into the neighbourhoods. The animals are surviving mostly successful obstruction corridors and vacant lots, galore of which are adjacent nationalist parks, wherever the precocious density of dogs are perceived arsenic a threat. 

Aggressive behaviour toward dogs this clip of twelvemonth is typical, the study said, coinciding with the coyotes' reproductive season.

Public acquisition astir dumping, wildlife feeding and dogs disconnected leash remains cardinal to ensuring locals enactment harmless and deter coyotes from coming excessively close, the study says. 

The study was prepared by an independent, third-party sheet of 7 experts with backgrounds successful coyote management, carnal control, biology and ecology, who reviewed incidental reports, spoke with residents and investigated known coyote hotspots.

The study volition pass upcoming updates to the city's coyote effect strategy, the metropolis said successful a quality release.  Updates are expected to spell earlier the city's economical and assemblage improvement committee aboriginal this year.