Longueuil has taken a new step in anticipation of the white-tailed deer population reduction operation in Michel-Chartrand Park. The City has just obtained from the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs (MFFP) the permit required to carry out a crossbow hunt for deer this fall.
Longueuil therefore maintains the operation despite the proceedings initiated before the Superior Court by lawyer Anne-France Goldwater to try to prevent the slaughter of deer.
Last July, the Mayor of Longueuil, Catherine Fournier, invoked the urgency of the situation to announce that the City would conduct a controlled hunt this fall to reduce the number of deer. In the spring of 2021, Michel-Chartrand Park had about 70 deer. Their number rose to 108, revealed the inventory conducted by the MFFP last February, an increase of 50%. The City presumes that their numbers increased again in the spring with the calving period. However, according to the City, Michel-Chartrand Park can only support the presence of 10 to 15 deer given the devastation they cause to the vegetation when there are too many of them.
The details of the operation and the security measures that will be put in place will be revealed in early fall. However, the City has already announced that it will be a crossbow hunt conducted by professional hunters, therefore without firearms. “Crossbow hunting is the method used by the MFFP when they carry out similar operations in Sépaq nature parks such as Boucherville and Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville”, explains Camille Desrosiers-Laferrière, attaché release from Mayor Fournier.
Starting this fall, the City wishes to reduce the deer population to the capacity of Michel-Chartrand Park and limit their number to a maximum of fifteen deer. She also plans to donate deer meat to local food banks.
In court September 14
For her part, Me Anne-France Goldwater, who represents the organization Sauvetage Animal Rescue and wishes to prevent the slaughter of deer, does not intend to throw in the towel. A hearing before the Superior Court is scheduled for September 14 in this case.
The lawyer misunderstands the urgency invoked by the City and criticizes the latter for having reneged on its word. “I find it a bit bizarre that after taking a written agreement that they would not proceed with their capture and euthanasia plan with percussion bolt guns, they decided to go ahead with a new plan and kill these animals with crossbows,” says Goldwater.
The lawyer still believes in her chances of obtaining that the status quo is maintained while waiting for the case to be debated in court.