Brampton’s cracking down hard: feed the geese, and you could be out $5,000. With avian influenza—aka bird flu—sweeping through the city, officials are urging residents to ditch the bread crumbs and birdseed or face steep penalties. The warning comes hot on the heels of confirmed cases in late February, when geese near Mayfield Road and The Gore Road tested positive, as reported by the City of Brampton on February 28. Across the border in Caledon, dead geese near ponds also turned up infected, and a “large number” of wild bird deaths across Peel Region are now pinned on the virus, pending final tests by the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC).
This isn’t just about feathered friends—feeding wildlife ramps up the risk. “Leaving food out for wildlife, even with good intention, can do more harm than good,” the city declared in a statement today, March 12. “(Feeding) changes animal behaviours, attracts larger predators, and spreads disease.” Think raccoons sniffing around your bins or hawks eyeing your backyard—the ripple effects are real. The virus, a highly pathogenic H5N1 strain, has already hit southern Ontario hard, with seven poultry farms quarantined in December 2024, per INsauga. Now, it’s wild birds like Canada geese—natural carriers—driving the spread, especially as migration patterns crisscross the region .
To dodge fines and curb the outbreak, Brampton’s dishing out practical tips. Lock food waste in green bins—those tight lids keep scents in and critters out. Stash garbage, bins, and recycling inside until pickup day, no later than 7 a.m. Yank bird feeders and birdbaths from your yard—they’re virus hotspots. Keep cats indoors, dogs leashed (it’s the law under By-law 122-85), and pet birds caged. Raw game or poultry? Don’t feed it to Fido or Fluffy. “We’re seeing it in waterfowl, and it’s a wake-up call,” a city spokesperson hinted on X today, echoing posts from @CityBrampton urging compliance.