Toronto Needs an Off-Leash Area Master Plan

The Issue

We are asking Toronto City Council to initiate the development of a Citywide Master Plan for Toronto’s Dogs Off-Leash Areas to optimize experiences for everyone who shares our public spaces, with a target completion date of 2025. We ask that this Off-Leash Area Master Plan be as comprehensive as those already developed by Vancouver, Surrey, Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg, and be constructed as follows:

Based on comprehensive research, evidence, and consultation with all stakeholders, including dog owners, regular park users, environmentalists, residents and dog industry professionals.
Reflect international best practices for design, signage, rules, accessibility, shade, shelter, surface materials, fencing and amenities, with helpful design guidelines that ensure future dog parks are safe, inviting and reward bylaw compliance.
Include adequate by-law enforcement to address the ongoing concerns of all park users.
Proactively plan new off-leash areas in relation to population distribution and development.
Include volunteer stewardship and ambassador programs to assist with park maintenance and promote responsible dog ownership.

Why is this important?

Toronto has changed – Today, we have more people and more dogs living closer together in smaller residences, sharing the same park land. We need to bring harmony to our parks by creating safe, enjoyable spaces for people with and without dogs.
Skyrocketing dog population – Toronto has an estimated 300,000 dogs and counting. Toronto’s high-rise communities have an estimated 4-8 pets per floor. Adults aged 25-40 now have more dogs than children. Plus, the added number of ‘Pandemic Puppies’ will bring our already strained infrastructure to a tipping point.
Increased park usage – The pandemic has shown how much Torontonians need and value outdoor experiences. Dog owners use parks every day – sometimes multiple times a day – all year long, in all weather. We must plan for the new normal.
Legitimate recreation – More and more municipalities are recognizing off-leash areas as necessary places for people to enjoy legitimate recreation, in the same way that designated spaces are required for other forms of recreation, such as tennis, baseball and so on.
Inequitable distribution – Toronto’s off-leash areas were not planned as a network and are not distributed based on population. Entire wards have no off-leash areas. Properly located off-leash areas are required to facilitate responsible by-law compliance.
Pets and communities are being hurt – The absence of evidence-based design standards has led to misguided decisions, including making pea gravel the citywide standard, despite it being both inaccessible for sight- and mobility-impaired citizens and causing injuries to paws. The lack of evidence-based design standards also halted plans to build three much-needed off-leash areas (York, Rees and Aitken Place). While these decisions were reversed, it took considerable advocacy.
Uninviting dog parks – While Toronto’s older dog parks have trees and trails, modern DOLAs built under Toronto’s new standards are gravel pens, often compared to litter boxes, with no trees or shade and nothing of interest. While the Citywide Study of Toronto’s Existing Off-Leash Areas has identified ways to bring our existing dog parks in line with best practices, evidence-based guidelines are also required for future dog parks. Further, it is necessary to modify Toronto’s official standards for off-leash areas to align with the study’s recommendations.
By-law infractions – Off-leash dogs in undesignated areas and dog waste have become increasingly problematic. Well-planned off-leash areas, along with education and enforcement, can reduce off-leash activity in unsanctioned areas and encourage responsible dog ownership.
Dated and inadequate policies – Toronto’s 2010 Off-Leash Policy is brief and no longer sufficient for the needs of our growing city. It contains no design guidelines or proactive plan for future off-leash locations. Smaller municipalities with fewer challenges have developed far more comprehensive and effective Off-Leash Area Master Plans and Strategies. Toronto’s park users deserve the same level of diligence.
Already requested by Toronto City Council – In response to feedback from park users, City Council passed a motion (EX9.5, October 29, 2019) with an amendment asking Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation to review our dogs off-leash policy, apply best practices, and report back in 2020. Developing an evidence-based Off-Leash Area Master Plan is best practice – and the only way to address all ongoing issues once and for all.

Background Information

Municipal Off-Leash Area Master Plans and Strategies

Vancouver
Strategy: https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/people-parks-dogs-strategy-report.pdf
Appendix: https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/people-parks-dogs-strategy-appendix.pdf
Implementation: https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/people-parks-dogs-strategy-implementation-guide.pdf
Site: https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/people-parks-dogs-strategy.aspx

Surrey
https://www.surrey.ca/files/Dog_Off-Leash_Master_Plan_2012.pdf

Edmonton
https://www.edmonton.ca/documents/PDF/DogsInOpenSpacesImplementationPlan.pdf

Calgary
https://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Parks/Documents/Locations/Off-Leash-Areas/off-leash-management-plan.pdf?noredirect=1

Winnipeg
https://winnipeg.ca/ppd/PublicEngagement/OffLeashAreas/documents/Off-Leash-Dog-Areas-Master-Plan.pdf

Seattle
https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/ParksAndRecreation/PoliciesPlanning/PeopleDogsandParksPlan-August2017.pdf

Denver
https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/denver-parks-and-recreation/planning/park-facility-projects/dog-park-master-plan-update.html

South Australia
https://d35s2bz2fw949f.cloudfront.net/dcmb/docs/Dogs/UnleashedDogParks-B.pdf?mtime=20210216141335&focal=none

Toronto
2010 People, Dogs and Parks Policy
https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/8dd0-dogs-off-leash-policy-2010.pdf
Facilities Master Plan
http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2017/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-107775.pdf
Implementation Strategy
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2019/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-138699.pdf#xd_co_f=N2EwMzZiYjAtNGI4MC00OGU4LWI5NjctYmIxZjU3YWViNGVk
City of Toronto Parks Standards: Off-Leash Areas
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VlTMDtFhpgIu4h7lfEfse7QhXLgopkXv/view?usp=sharing

Toronto Dog Park Improvement Survey Report
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j93NHhkxpIIFq-3h9CNKmjEXkPLzpVPD/view?usp=sharing

Toronto Dog Park CommunityPetition Starter

Media inquiries

2,210

The Issue

Based on comprehensive research, evidence, and consultation with all stakeholders, including dog owners, regular park users, environmentalists, residents and dog industry professionals.
Reflect international best practices for design, signage, rules, accessibility, shade, shelter, surface materials, fencing and amenities, with helpful design guidelines that ensure future dog parks are safe, inviting and reward bylaw compliance.
Include adequate by-law enforcement to address the ongoing concerns of all park users.
Proactively plan new off-leash areas in relation to population distribution and development.
Include volunteer stewardship and ambassador programs to assist with park maintenance and promote responsible dog ownership.

Why is this important?

Toronto has changed – Today, we have more people and more dogs living closer together in smaller residences, sharing the same park land. We need to bring harmony to our parks by creating safe, enjoyable spaces for people with and without dogs.
Skyrocketing dog population – Toronto has an estimated 300,000 dogs and counting. Toronto’s high-rise communities have an estimated 4-8 pets per floor. Adults aged 25-40 now have more dogs than children. Plus, the added number of ‘Pandemic Puppies’ will bring our already strained infrastructure to a tipping point.
Increased park usage – The pandemic has shown how much Torontonians need and value outdoor experiences. Dog owners use parks every day – sometimes multiple times a day – all year long, in all weather. We must plan for the new normal.
Legitimate recreation – More and more municipalities are recognizing off-leash areas as necessary places for people to enjoy legitimate recreation, in the same way that designated spaces are required for other forms of recreation, such as tennis, baseball and so on.
Inequitable distribution – Toronto’s off-leash areas were not planned as a network and are not distributed based on population. Entire wards have no off-leash areas. Properly located off-leash areas are required to facilitate responsible by-law compliance.
Pets and communities are being hurt – The absence of evidence-based design standards has led to misguided decisions, including making pea gravel the citywide standard, despite it being both inaccessible for sight- and mobility-impaired citizens and causing injuries to paws. The lack of evidence-based design standards also halted plans to build three much-needed off-leash areas (York, Rees and Aitken Place). While these decisions were reversed, it took considerable advocacy.
Uninviting dog parks – While Toronto’s older dog parks have trees and trails, modern DOLAs built under Toronto’s new standards are gravel pens, often compared to litter boxes, with no trees or shade and nothing of interest. While the Citywide Study of Toronto’s Existing Off-Leash Areas has identified ways to bring our existing dog parks in line with best practices, evidence-based guidelines are also required for future dog parks. Further, it is necessary to modify Toronto’s official standards for off-leash areas to align with the study’s recommendations.
By-law infractions – Off-leash dogs in undesignated areas and dog waste have become increasingly problematic. Well-planned off-leash areas, along with education and enforcement, can reduce off-leash activity in unsanctioned areas and encourage responsible dog ownership.
Dated and inadequate policies – Toronto’s 2010 Off-Leash Policy is brief and no longer sufficient for the needs of our growing city. It contains no design guidelines or proactive plan for future off-leash locations. Smaller municipalities with fewer challenges have developed far more comprehensive and effective Off-Leash Area Master Plans and Strategies. Toronto’s park users deserve the same level of diligence.
Already requested by Toronto City Council – In response to feedback from park users, City Council passed a motion (EX9.5, October 29, 2019) with an amendment asking Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation to review our dogs off-leash policy, apply best practices, and report back in 2020. Developing an evidence-based Off-Leash Area Master Plan is best practice – and the only way to address all ongoing issues once and for all.