Longueuil gets permit to go ahead with deer cull in local park that has been overrun

A deer is seen at the Michel-Chartrand Park in Longueuil, Que., Friday, Nov. 13, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Paul Chiasson)

A Montreal suburb has received a provincial Environment Department permit to go ahead with a long-awaited white-tailed deer cull in a local park that has become overrun with them.

The City of Longueuil, just south of Montreal, has been trying to carry out a cull since 2020, but faced strong backlash and legal challenges from animal rights groups.

The permit is valid until mid-February 2025 and the city says in a statement the operation will be carried out by a professional company using air rifles.

The city says the cull is needed to restore ecological equilibrium to the green space as the number of white-tailed deer in Michel-Chartrand park has tripled in recent years — from 32 in 2017 to 114 as of this year.

Authorities have also noted the number of dead deer in the park rose from 28 in 2021 to 52 in 2023.

The city says the precise date of the cull will not be communicated in advance to ensure it goes smoothly, and when it takes place the area will be secured and closed temporarily to locals.

-This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2024.