Thursday September 11, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC [Posted at 11 am | Updated at 2:07 pm]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Dogs that are off-leash at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park in Saanich came up for preliminary discussion at the Capital Regional District (CRD) board meeting yesterday.
District of Saanich Councillor Colin Plant, as a director on the region-wide CRD board, introduced a notice of motion.
The motion a the September 10 board meeting was based on both public input and his personal observation of the area.
Plant clarifies that the motion looks only at the area adjacent to Elk Lake Drive outside the entrance to Beaver Lake Park. Currently dogs are welcome at Elk Lake/Beaver Lake Regional Park under control.
“There is potential for a more formal approach to what is essentially an informal off-leash dog area already,” said Plant in a statement to Island Social trends.
“We seem to have an unofficial dog-park-like area in this regional park. I’d be interested in seeing how we could more formalize it and make it more safe and effective but also preserve and respect the environmental values of the park,” says Plant.
Formal pet strategy in parks:
“Currently CRD Parks does not formally have any off-leash designated parks or areas. Rather, CRD requires owners to have their dogs under control in our Parks,” said Plant.
The People, Pets and Parks Strategy was approved by Saanich Council in June 2023. Implementation of the strategy began in November 2023.
At the time, an optional off-leash area was proposed for Mount Douglas Park within Saanich.
The report included a remark for people without dogs, to “ensure there are adequate places in parks for people who don’t want to encounter dogs or other pets off-leash”.
Pets and the environment:
As stated in the 2023 People, Pets and Parks Strategy final report, pets can negatively impact natural ecosystems by causing soil compaction, erosion on slopes, damage to vegetation, spreading of invasive, plants, and disturbing wildlife, birds and species at risk.
Dog waste is a source of E. coli bacteria in the environment, and humans, wildlife and other dogs can catch parasites and diseases from dog waste. This is one reason why dogs are often excluded from swimming areas.
Disturbances increase alertness and stress response in wildlife, and birds which can mean that wildlife spend less time feeding, breeding, sleeping, and caring for young.
Disturbances to foraging and nesting birds results in lost time foraging and an increase in time spent away from nests, and may lead to declines in population.
Walking the trail:
Councillor Plant says he often walks to the school where he teaches along Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park on Elk Lake Drive … where the motion applies directly. He sees dogs and their owners using this space.
“But I wonder if the setting can be made safer for dogs to not potentially get onto Elk Lake Drive which is a fairly heavily used road,” says Plant.
“I am always striving to find a balance between humans, dogs and the environment. This report is intended to ask staff to consider the matter and weigh-in on the implications, benefits and costs,” says Plant.
===== RELATED:
- Saanich seeks public input on people, pets & parks (June 1, 2022)
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