Port Moody’s new beaver management plan focuses on co-existence while addressing risks

Photo by Milva DeSiena

Port Moody City Council has endorsed a beaver management plan that promotes co-existence, outlines best practices, and addresses risks and liabilities associated with flooding, property damage, ecological impacts, and human health and safety. The Plan also addresses compliance with all provincial and federal regulations related to wildlife and fish passage. 

“Port Moody’s Beaver Management Plan, developed with input from a diverse group of stakeholders, balances the needs of beavers, fish, and other wildlife with the need to protect public safety, civic infrastructure, and public and private lands,” says Acting Mayor Steve Milani. “The Plan encourages co-existence through techniques that are designed to lessen the adverse effects of beaver activity in an urban setting, such as flooding or damage to trees. This proactive approach will make it easier for a beaver colony to remain in place so that we can, to the fullest extent possible, avoid traditional responses like relocation or lethal trapping.” 

The Plan includes a decision-making framework and a diagnostic key to help guide the City in making informed decisions and taking appropriate actions in response to beaver activity. As identified in the Plan, while beaver restoration efforts across North America are promising, not all areas have suitable habitat for beaver colonies. In highly urbanized areas, co-existence with beavers can be challenging because of constraints related to available space and the depth and flow of watercourses. The decision-making framework and diagnostic key are designed to address the unique challenges and opportunities of co-existence within an urban context, and include a protocol for regular monitoring and maintenance to ensure the City takes a comprehensive approach to co-existence.

The City estimates the annual budget for implementation of the Beaver Management Plan, including increased monitoring and maintenance in areas where co-existence strategies are put into place, will be $45,000. This estimate is based on recent experience with the management of a beaver family that currently resides in Suter Brook Creek. 

City staff’s most recent Beaver Management Plan Report to Council is available online at portmoody.ca (Item 9.5 in the agenda package for the November 12, 2019 Regular Council Meeting). The full Beaver Management Plan is available at portmoody.ca/beavers.