Mayor’s Monday Mailbag – July 10, 2023 – Why do Wildlife Control Officers Collect Bird Eggs at LaSalle Park?

Mayor's Mailbag
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Welcome to the Mayor’s Monday Mailbag, an initiative Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and the Mayor’s Office launched to share weekly answers to questions from the public we’ve received through our main email inbox at mayor@burlington.ca or the Mayor’s social media platforms.At the end of the month, we publish a roundup of those most pressing questions we’ve received in the weeks prior.Mayor’s Monday Mailbag – July 10, 2023QUESTION:"Why have we recently been seeing wildlife control officers collecting bird eggs at LaSalle Park?”ANSWER:The City of Burlington resumed a Canada Goose and Mute Swan management program in spring 2023. The program formally ran from 2005-2019 and was paused for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.While Canada Geese are migratory birds protected under Canadian law by the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, there are exceptions provided under the Migratory Birds Regulations. Mute Swans (those with an orange-coloured bill) are an non-native and invasive species in Canada -- they pose a threat to native wildlife and wetland habitat.Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Canadian Wildlife Service is the federal agency responsible for overseeing implementation of this legislation. Canadian Wildlife Service provides expert advice and issues permits to authorize otherwise prohibited activities if migratory birds are causing or are about to cause serious damage or danger.The City of Burlington has legislative permission and holds a permit through Canadian Wildlife Services to collect and remove Canada Goose and Mute Swan eggs in our waterfront parks, and with permission from the City of Hamilton at LaSalle Park. The removal of eggs is aimed to:

  • limit the growth of Canada Goose and Mute Swan populations to prevent damage and destruction to park assets;
  • decrease nitrogen and E. Coli inputs to the lake and harbour; and
  • reduce conflicts between the birds and park users.

Under the conditions of the legislated permit, the City hired Municipal Wildlife Control to inventory adult Canada Geese and Mute Swans, and to count, collect and remove eggs from both species in our waterfront parks and at Tyandaga Golf Club.Municipal Wildlife Control will provide a report to the City of Burlington and Canada Wildlife Service as required by the legislated permit agreement.

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