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Electric fencing will be allowed throughout Powell River

City council approves bylaws that will provide animal deterrent
y of Powell River councillor Rob Southcott
HIGH VOLTAGE: City of Powell River councillor Rob Southcott prompted city councillors to not limit the ratings on electric fences so that they are adequate to deter bears. Paul Galinski photo

City of Powell River councillors have passed four bylaws that will allow the use of electric fencing in the city.

At the council meeting on Thursday, September 5, councillors voted that electric fences should not be limited to the A1, A2 and RA1 zones in the city, which were the zones permitted under the preceding zoning bylaw.

Councillors also passed an amendment to the animal control bylaw that states in order to deter bears and other predators, electric fences may be constructed within residential and rural zones and multifamily residential zones. The controller must be Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC) approved.

Council approved that the fences should not exceed 6,500 volts and provide a pulse length of less than 3/10,000 per second at a pulse rate of 45 to 60 pulses per minute. However, those standards will possibly be modified based on information received at a public hearing held August 15, 2019.

Corporate officer Chris Jackson said a lot of the comments at the public hearing were supportive, but one letter raised concerns about the voltage and technical requirements stipulated in the animal control bylaw, to ensure that bears are deterred.

Jackson recommended that the bylaws be adopted at the council meeting, and if council does want to make the changes that were heard at the public hearing, council could pass the motion and staff would bring back an amended bylaw that has the changes incorporated.

Jackson said passing the motion would allow the installation of electric fences right after the meeting. If council had decided to make an amendment at the council meeting, it would hold up the initiative to allow electric fences for at least a couple of weeks.

Councillor CaroleAnn Leishman made a motion that council direct staff to bring forward amendments to the animal control bylaw, increasing electric fence maximum voltage from 6,500 to 11,000 volts, with a rating of 0.75 to two joules output.

Councillor Rob Southcott said there are approved energy ratings that go above two joules and he suggested that council not limit it because staff might find appropriate higher ratings.

“This extra allowance is what allows these things to deter bears,” said Southcott.

Leishman moved an amendment to specify a change in the maximum voltage from 6,500 to 11,000 volts and remove the reference to joules, and let staff determine what the appropriate energy rating is. The motion did not receive a seconder and the original motion was passed.

A recommendation will be coming to council on September 19 that only CSA or ULC electric fence controllers be permitted, and to not regulate the technical aspects.

Mayor Dave Formosa said the amount of feedback he has received regarding electric fencing has been very supportive.