Kevin Berger
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Clark’s Crossing Gazette
A particularly expensive removal of a beaver dam prompted a review of the RM of Corman Park’s beaver control policy during the February 10 committee of the whole meeting.
Ultimately, councillors voted on a recommendation for the RM to continue paying for beaver dam removal for the next two years while collecting data on the costs and frequency of requests before making a final decision.
According to an administration report, the RM first approved a beaver control policy in 2013. Under that policy, landowners could request the removal of nuisance beavers and beaver dams at the RM’s cost.
It also provided for a bounty to be paid for each beaver tail in accordance with the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities’ (SARM) own beaver control program. However, SARM no longer provides financial support for a beaver bounty.
As explained by Director of Infrastructure and Public Works Hayder Lateef, the RM had also received a request to remove a beaver dam on private property that would have no impact on RM infrastructure but would be very costly.
Lateef said this particular removal was near a railway, which would negate the use of explosives, and couldn’t be done with the RM’s own equipment. As such, it could cost anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000, whereas a normal beaver dam removal costs around $500 to $1,000.
“That’s kind of what triggered the review of this policy, and that’s why we’re trying to limit … our exposure and liability,” he said.
With all that in mind, administration’s recommendation was to rescind the current beaver control policy and instead align the RM’s beaver control effort with SARM’s current program.
SARM provides funding up a maximum of 50% of the cost to remove an adult nuisance beaver and up to 50% of the cost (to a maximum of $500) for “beaver deceivers” and pond levellers. (Beaver deceivers are a kind of trapezoidal fence that can prevent the damming of a culvert by beavers.)
Administration’s recommendation was to have the RM cover the costs of dam removal when flooding affects Corman Park’s infrastructure, but otherwise leave it up to landowners to deal with beaver dams when it only affects their own property.
Division 5 Councillor Arthur Pruim immediately raised a concern about how beaver dams on public waterways would be handled, noting that there are a couple of problem spots at Opimihaw Creek within his division.
Administration initially suggested it would be up to landowners to pay for the cost of removal if the dams were only affecting private land, though they could apply to SARM for funding.
In response, Pruim said he could not support administration’s recommendation.
“I know what’s happened in the Opimihaw Creek the last two years with the beavers building a dam. It’s affecting the road structure on the west side of the North 40 Lagoons,” he said. “It’s affecting our capital infrastructure.”
For a time, council debated having all requests for beaver dam removal to come back to council so they could address instances where the responsibility for dealing with beaver dams isn’t clear.
Eventually, Chief Administrative Officer Kerry Hilts suggested that the RM continue paying for beaver control and bring back a report in two years with further data on the costs of such an initiative.
At that point, council will be more informed regarding the costs of beaver control and possible alternatives can be discussed, he said.
Pruim then made a recommendation to council in line with Hilts’ suggestion, which was approved by the committee.
It should be noted that this recommendation must still be approved by council during their February 24 meeting.
