West Grey is shooting down a motion to try and bring Sunday gun hunting to the municipality.
Council defeated Coun. Scott Foerster’s motion to permit gun hunting on Sundays in a recorded vote for three in favour and four against during a meeting on Tuesday.
Foerster’s motion says the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry regulates Sunday gun hunting during open seasons in Ontario, and municipalities may decide to permit Sunday gun hunting.
His motion adds there are many supporting arguments to allow Sunday gun hunting in West Grey, including affordability, and people may not be able to take Monday to Friday workdays off to hunt.
He adds by allowing gun hunting on Sundays, it would add a second weekend day to hunt, allowing hunters to supplement their food supply with wild game and offset some of the prices of groceries.
After thorough deliberation and delegations from residents at the beginning of the council meeting supporting Sunday gun hunting, councillors voiced their thoughts on permitting this activity.
Coun. Doug Townsend says,” I am speaking in favour of this, and the reason I am is to simply put the decision in the hands of the people who should be making the decision, which is the landowner.”
Coun. Joyce Nuhn says, “I will not be supporting this for numerous reasons, the safety to the residents wanting to enjoy nature at their leisure on one day of the week. Six days is quite sufficient I feel for the hunters. I applaud them with their interest that hobby and that sport, but six days is lots.”
Mayor Kevin Eccles says this has been a contentious issue for a number of years and this is not the first time council has reviewed allowing Sunday gun hunting.
Grey Highlands also declined to bring Sunday gun hunting to the area in 2023.
