Hunting within Saskatoon city limits – how can that be acceptable? Will we need to put on neon orange safety vests before going for a walk in the Northeast Swale or the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area? Weren’t these natural areas intended to protect urban wildlife and to provide a space where school groups, bird watchers, and nature lovers could enjoy being out of doors?
There is a loophole in the City of Saskatoon’s bylaws that permits hunting in parts of the city that do not have park status. You must request permission, but that has been granted for hunting with bows and arrows in George Genereux Urban Regional Park. To fire a rifle, you must be over 500 metres from the nearest building, but there are parts of the city where that would be the case. [Happily, hunting is prohibited if you post No Hunting signs and this is now the case in the afforestation areas.]
Unlike Saskatoon, the City of Regina has a bylaw prohibiting the discharge of a firearm in the city, while outlining a number of exceptions, such as wildlife control by an authorized individual.
Julia Adamson, Friends of Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc., brought the issue of hunting within city limits to public attention and will be speaking on the subject at the 9 am, March 9, meeting of the City of Saskatoon’s Standing Policy Committee on Planning, Development and Community Services.
If you share Julia's concerns, you are encouraged to write a letter or request to speak at the Committee meeting. Online letters and requests must be received by 8 am on the day of the meeting.
