The rise of coyote encounters in Liberty Village and Fort York, including 355 sightings, 43 incidents, and 5 dog fatalities between November 2024 and April 2025 is now out of control and reactive, hostile fixes such as the euthanasia of two coyotes won't help in the long term.

Coyotes are here because they've lost their fear of us and lost their natural habitat due to the Ontario Place development tearing down trees, and even homeless encampments attracting them with food waste. 

We need a proactive, compassionate, and sustainable plan for coexistence. Keeping the Downtown Coyote Action Plan in mind, this petition calls on The City of Toronto to strengthen and expand its current efforts by fully committing to the following critical actions:

Public Education: This includes highly promoted online resources (FAQs, FYIs, reporting tools), widespread distribution of posters in parks, trails and community centers, and workshops teaching humane hazing techniques. The campaign must teach residents to:

• Appear "big and loud" around coyotes (yelling, clapping, and waving arms)
• Keep all trash and compost bins secure, clear fallen fruit, and ensure pet food and water bowls are never left outside
• Keep all pets on-leash in all public outdoor areas, excluding enclosed dog parks
• Learn the importance of eradicating all human-provided food attractants
• Recondition coyotes to retain their natural fear of humans

Stronger Bylaw Enforcement: The city must crack down with higher fines and accountability for off-leash dogs in open public areas, improper waste disposal, and wildlife feeding.

Infrastructure Upgrades: Including fixing broken park fences and improving lighting in public areas.

Sustainable Management Solutions: Fund research into non-lethal reproductive control (instead of euthanasia) and implement a specialized urban wildlife management team composed of wildlife experts.

Indigenous Collaboration: We ask the city to collaborate with Indigenous Guardians to incorporate Indigenous worldviews. Indigenous ecological knowledge provides a holistic approach to wildlife management. Their knowledge of land stewardship is vital for finding long-term and humane solutions that respect all living things.

Sign this petition to construct a future built upon education, responsible behavior, fair policies, and respect for all living beings.