The killing of deer in Michel-Chartrand Park will finally go ahead after four years of battles with animal rights activists.
Longueuil will carry out a long-awaited cull of white-tailed deer in one of its parks that has been overrun by the animals.
The municipality has been trying to carry out a cull since 2020, but has faced strong backlash and legal challenges from animal rights groups over the fate of the deer that reside in Michel-Chartrand Park.
It can only accommodate about 15 deer.
Officials also noted that the number of dead deer in the park increased from 28 in 2021 to 52 in 2023.
The city considered other options, including sterilization, birth control or even transporting the deer to a shelter, but experts ultimately concluded that the only viable short-term solution was to kill the animals.
The city has repeatedly said that white-tailed deer contribute to traffic accidents, increase the risk of Lyme disease, move into nearby residential areas in search of food and strip park vegetation.
Longueuil said the exact date of the cull will not be announced in advance to ensure the operation runs smoothly, and that when it does take place, the area will be secured and temporarily closed to residents.
The city had previously attempted to conduct the operation in the fall and donate the meat to local food banks.
Last year, city officials said they hoped the cull would be a one-time operation. They said that once the population is reduced, they could use other methods to control it without hunting.