Cats and Birds Project
Council Presentations in the Lower Mainland
In the Fall of 2024, the Stewardship Centre for BC appeared as a delegate to three Greater Vancouver councils to encourage the education of residents on the impacts of roaming cats and the adoption of bylaws and policies that address cat overpopulation and biodiversity loss.
District of North Vancouver Municipal Hall photo by Quantum Lighting.
On October 21st, 2024, Cats and Birds Coordinator Ariadne Boutsakis and local cat rescuer Tara White appealed to Mayor Woodward and Councillors at the Township of Langley for the adoption of responsible cat ownership bylaws and education to address the cat overpopulation crisis in the Township. Mayor and Councillors were briefed on the impacts of roaming cats on native bird and wildlife populations, community health, and cat welfare.
The presentation was well-received, and Councillors Martens and Richter motioned to refer recommendations to staff, which was passed unanimously by the Council. Councillor Baillie, a retired firefighter, shared his experience with cat hoarding during a house fire that took the lives of over 50 cats and the owner.
The Langley Animal Protection Society (LAPS) estimates 20,000 – 30,000 free-roaming cats across the Township and City of Langley.
Watch the Council presentation recording here.
Read the Langley Advance Times article here.
Ariadne Boutsakis (Stewardship Centre for BC) and Tara White (Langley cat rescuer) presented to the Township of Langley Council about roaming cat welfare and wildlife conservation in October 2024. Chambers photo by HCMA.
Following her presentation to the Township of Langley, Ariadne Boutsakis presented to the City of Burnaby’s Environment Committee on October 22nd, 2024. The presentation addressed the issue of roaming cats and their impact on local wildlife and community health. Ariadne connected the recommended actions to the City of Burnaby’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy, including strategy 1.4.b to “protect birds from harm due to human-related activities, like predation by cats and collisions with buildings.”
Erica Lay, Manager of Climate Action and Energy, noted the opportunities to communicate best practices to residents and advised staff to follow up with SCBC for support with education and outreach.
On November 18th, 2024, Ariadne Boutsakis presented to Mayor Mike Little and Councillors at the District of North Vancouver, continuing efforts to bring the topic of roaming cats and their impact on wildlife to the attention of local governments.
Councillors appreciated the presentation and inquired about several related topics, including methods used in the Vancouver Cat Count to estimate the number of roaming cats. Councillor Hanson noted that the District had recently banned rodenticide and inquired about SCBC’s stance on cats as a method of rodent control. Stewardship Centre promotes environmentally friendly methods of rodent control and provides public resources and videos for residents.
Councillors Mah and Back were also interested in the costs of municipal spay and neuter services and the adoption of cat management bylaws in other cities within Metro Vancouver. Councillor Lisa Muri supported the recommendation to educate residents on responsible cat ownership and was interested in local data on feral cat colonies and sterilization rates. However, Councillor Muri expressed concern over the enforcement of cat bylaws, which resulted in the dismissal of a proposed cat bylaw two decades ago, and hesitancy to adopt bylaws without localized data.
Watch the presentation recording here.
Ariadne Boutsakis (Stewardship Centre for BC) presented to the District of North Vancouver Council in November 2024.
Ask your local government to take action
If you want to contact your local city council and show your support for changing municipal regulations to include roaming cats and preventing their impact on birds, bats and other animals, consider sending a letter to the Mayor. You can find a template letter on our Cats and Birds website.
