Receive city manager’s office report CM-26-22 - City of Burlington Coyote Response Strategy update and, with regard to the City’s immediate response to the recent serious coyote attacks on Burlington residents, endorse the actions taken by staff under established authority as outlined in the report at an estimated 2022 one-time cost of $22,850; and
Approve the single source of a Certified Wildlife Professional (CWP) and authorize the Manager of Procurement Services to sign a multi-year agreement with the CWP for the remainder of 2022 and the duration of 2023, with the option to renew for three (3) additional one (1) year terms; and
Direct the Director of Building and By-law to proceed immediately with the design and implementation of a new two-year Coyote Action and Awareness Program specifically directed at delivering enhanced coyote response services based on the program scope outlined in city manager’s office report CM-26-22; and
Direct the Chief Financial Officer to report back to City Council directly on September 20, 2022 with options and recommendations for funding the new Coyote Action and Awareness Program; and
Direct the Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility to report back in Q1 2023 in conjunction with City Council’s 2023 budget consideration on the establishment of the proposed new By-Law Compliance Department (as recommended in companion report CM-24-22 in this agenda) inclusive of an enhanced coyote response model as part of the Animal Services function; and
Direct the Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility, following the hiring of a new Director of By-law Compliance, to undertake a full review and update of the current City of Burlington Animal Services By-law (By-law 60-2005) and Coyote Response Strategy by Q4 2023; and
Direct the City Manager, with respect to the February 2022 report, specifically the recommendations of the community association – Burlington & Oakville Coyote Management (BOCM) as outlined in Appendix B of city manager’s office report CM-26-22, to proceed with the implementation of the staff recommendations and next steps and report back on the status in Q1 2023; and
Direct the City Manager to initiate meetings, as required, with the Chief Administrative Officer of the Town of Oakville and senior staff of both Burlington and Oakville to develop and implement a coordinated workplan related to both the BOCM recommendations as well as other City/Town coyote response initiatives including, but not limited to, joint procurement of external professional wildlife management services, joint coyote related data collection, research and analysis and public educational and awareness programs and possible mutual coyote response service agreements; and
Direct the City Manager and Chief Financial Officer to include for consideration in the 2023 proposed budget the recommended resources to fully address all of the above noted service delivery requirements for an enhanced coyote action and awareness program; and
Authorize the Director of Roads, Parks and Forestry to procure and install lids for non-decorative garbage cans in the immediate area of coyote concern, to an upset limit of $15,000 in 2022; and
Direct the Director of Building and By-law to adopt a pro-active coyote response strategy model inclusive of adding two additional contract By-law Enforcement Officers, and engage appropriate coyote specialist resources to assist with investigations, canid response team, training staff and members of the public; and
Direct the Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility to review waste receptacles identified in various urban design guidelines, starting with Downtown Streetscape Guidelines, to ensure that those identified are secure and enclosed, and to report to CPRM Committee in Q4 2022; and
Director the Chief Financial Officer to include information regarding expenses incurred related to the Coyote Response Strategy when reporting on the 2022 year-end financial position and bring forward any amendments in the 2023 budget; and
Direct the Mayor and Government Relations Manager to connect with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and other Ministries as needed, to formally request emergency funding, and staffing support, to help us respond to coyote attacks in Burlington; and
Direct the Executive Director of Legal Services and Corporation Counsel and the Director of Building and By-law to review the current fine structure for illegal dumping contained in the Lot Maintenance By-law 49-2022 and fines contained in City’s Animal Control By-law 60-2005 relating to feeding of wildlife and bring back options to increase the fines for ticketing offences (Part I) and the maximum fine for Part III offences for the feeding of wildlife, including any required by-law amendments for consideration by Council on September 20, 2022; and
Direct the Director of Corporate Communications & Engagement to distribute a city-wide mail drop/social media communication plan by September 30, 2022 and focused solely on the fact that the recent crisis of aggressive wildlife attacks is the direct result of illegal dumping and/or feeding of wildlife and clearly communicating increases in Part I Offence ticketing and Part III Offence fines to be considered by Council on September 20, 2022; and
Direct the City Manager to include targeted cutting back of vegetation on public lands as part of the risk mitigation actions to be considered in the updated coyote response strategy.