After years of legal battles, Montreal suburb kills deer in park

A sign shows city hall in Longueuil, Que., on March 4, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

A Montreal suburb with a park overpopulated with white-tailed deer says it has carried out the first phase of its cull, with 64 animals killed.

Longueuil, Que., has fought against activists for years to carry out the cull, and says it will thin the herd further before February.

Between Tuesday and Thursday hunters using air guns shot and killed 64 deer at Michel-Chartrand Park, a green space on Montreal's South Shore.

Longueuil officials say the operation went smoothly and that other culls will take place until February, when a provincial permit expires.

The city has said it needs to restore ecological equilibrium to the park, where up to 114 deer had been living in a green space that can accommodate about 15.

Officials had been trying to kill the animals since 2020 but faced strong opposition and legal challenges from animal rights groups.

In October 2023, the province's Court of Appeal sided with the city.

The meat will be donated to a local food bank for distribution by the end of the year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2024.