4 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Province kills city's sulfur gas ground squirrel extermination plans
The City of Winnipeg won't be allowed to carry out its controversial plan to use a lethal pesticide on ground squirrels.
In a Thursday letter to Mayor Scott Gillingham, Manitoba Environment and Climate Change Minister Mike Moyes advised the city it won't receive a permit to use the sulfur gas product known as 'Giant Destroyer.'
'I write to encourage the City of Winnipeg to explore alternative options that prioritize the safety and well-being of Manitobans… I recognize the challenge involved in balancing the safety of park visitors, environmental protection and public access,' wrote Moyes.
A provincial spokesperson said the minister wasn't available for an interview Friday, due to the province's ongoing response to wildfires.
In an email, Moyes said the decision followed a 'careful and thorough review.'
'The department consulted with experts in health, environment, and wildlife to inform the decision not to proceed with the application. Additionally, the department received nearly 6,300 public submissions expressing concern about the proposed control program,' the statement said.
Moyes also 'strongly' recommended the city devote some of its provincial funding to fill in ground squirrel holes.
The city initially planned to start using Giant Destroyer to euthanize animals at eight parks and community centre fields on May 20, but the program was delayed due to the wait for a provincial permit. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun files)
The city initially planned to start using Giant Destroyer to euthanize animals at eight parks and community centre fields on May 20, but the program was delayed due to the wait for a provincial permit. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun files)
The city initially planned to start using Giant Destroyer to euthanize animals at eight parks and community centre fields on May 20 but the program was delayed due to the wait for a provincial permit.
If no treatment occurs, city officials have warned ground squirrels can create deep holes in athletic fields where people and pets can trip and hurt themselves.
A request to interview a city official was not granted Friday.
In an email, a spokeswoman said the province noted public concern and 'insufficient consideration of alternative methods' as reasons for denying the permit.
'We do not have any other feasible options… The public safety risk of deep, exposed holes in parks and playing fields is already significant and will only grow without control,' wrote spokeswoman Julie Horbal Dooley.
By contrast, an opponent of the treatment plan welcomed the province's choice.
'I'm actually very pleased with that decision … First and foremost, the proposed method of euthanasia (was) neither humane nor efficient,' said James Hare, a University of Manitoba professor emeritus in biological sciences.
Hare said the sulfur gas poisoning would cause a painful death.
'If you place these gas bombs in a burrowing system… you are going to have individual (animals) that are going to be exposed, in many cases, minimally to that gas, so they will suffer but not die. You will also have individuals who are exposed to even a moderate concentration… who will suffer an incredibly painful and slow death, sometimes taking over an hour,' he said.
Hare said trapping ground squirrels between mid-March and early April, when adults are emerging from hibernation and have not yet started breeding, would offer much more effective population control. The animals could then be given an anesthetic and euthanized with a fast-acting drug, he said.
Hare said the city's concern with the hazard posed by ground squirrel holes is valid, though he expects the level of field damage has already reached its peak for this year.
'I understand, begrudgingly, how ground squirrels do have to be controlled. But if you're going to do it, do it right,' he said.
Mayor Scott Gillingham said Thursday he believes some treatment is needed to protect people using city sports fields. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun files)
Mayor Scott Gillingham said Thursday he believes some treatment is needed to protect people using city sports fields. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun files)
Mayor Scott Gillingham said Thursday he believes some treatment is needed to protect people using city sports fields.
'Right now, when you've got a soccer field or a baseball diamond that's riddled with gopher holes, it's dangerous for everyone that's using it,' he said.
'I, for one, am open to any solution that can assist us in getting rid of these ground squirrels so that we can make our fields playable again.'
The mayor expressed concern about the province's rejection of the permit on Friday.
'I'm disappointed in this decision. These sports fields are heavily used and keeping them in safe condition for kids and adults should be a priority,' he said in a written statement.
The city had planned to use the pesticide at Charleswood Place, Beryl Watts Park/Vince Leah Community Centre, Fairgrove Bay Park, Woodsworth Park, Shaughnessy Park, Weston Memorial Community Centre, Theodore Niitzhotay Fontaine Park and St. James Memorial Sports Park.
The decision came after mounting opposition directed at city hall, where protesters gathered Thursday morning.
'For the ground squirrels, specifically, it's a very cruel method of getting rid of them. They die a very slow, agonizing death … And then (there are) also the broader (affects) on non-target species (and) wildlife,' said Danae Tonge, an organizer with Manitoba Animal Save.
Those concerns include putting predators, pets and people at risk of exposure to sulfur gas, she said.
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Joyanne PursagaReporter
Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne.
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