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Municipalities to consider deer management options

CRD sends advisory report to municipal councils; province won't act until local options exhausted
Deer Look Before Crossing Road
A mother deer and fawn check out Cadboro Bay Road (at Bowker Avenue) for oncoming traffic before crossing the busy road in September.

Municipalities need to choose how to manage deer before the Capital Regional District or provincial government will act.

That decision, made by the CRD board Wednesday, means the recommended framework that was put forward by the regional deer management advisory committee in October will now make the rounds at 13 municipal councils.

The regional deer management strategy includes several options, including culling, public education, fencing and other deterrents. The province said in October that local governments need to implement deterrents before it gets involved in any regional strategy.

"The Board recognized the importance of moving forward with actions to assist farmers in dealing with the crop devastation caused by deer, directing staff to prioritize municipalities with a significant agricultural base," stated a CRD release.