Richmond Municipal Council is calling for action from the provincial government to deal with the growing deer population.
During last night’s regular monthly meeting in Arichat, councillors approved a recommendation from the committee-of-the-whole to send a letter to the Minister of Natural Resources urging that the department make changes to the 2025 fall hunt and send letters to the Department of Public Works, as well as Nova Scotia Power, to request that roadside clearing be scheduled early in areas of Richmond County where wildlife strikes have increased.
Warden Lois Landry told council that the doe population in particular is “exploding,” deer are often at roadsides and in yards, vehicle collisions are frequent, and one Isle Madame farmer is considering not planting for the first time in 31 years because deer destroyed his crops.
She said this brings up issues surrounding food security since many backyard growers have also had their crops damaged. She said some volunteers and seniors are worried about driving at night, there are concerns about deer ticks, this can affect tourism, and there is the potential for attracting more predators like coyotes.
Landry created a Facebook page to demonstrate the size and location of the growing herd, and said this was one of the main issues raised during last fall’s municipal election.
District 4 Councillor Amanda Mombourquette said she is aware of problems in her district, and is concerned that the number of vehicle strikes will increase insurance costs for some drivers.
Noting that residents have also reached out to him about this, District 1 Councillor Shawn Samson said drivers are having a hard time seeing deer when roadsides are not properly cleared.
District 3 Councillor Brian Marchand said the problem has grown beyond Isle Madame, affecting residents in his district, and following last night’s meeting, Deputy Warden Brent Sampson said he saw multiple deer at the roadside on his way to the meeting.