Big jump in numbers for animal control last year as over 150 dogs and cats were captured

Each year, Whitecourt Town Council receives an update on the work done by Municipal
Enforcement, including comparative statistical data on complaints and tickets issued and the
overall enforcement activities in which officers took part. The duties of Municipal Enforcement
officers are broad, including everything from animal control to noise complaints and parking
infractions.
Officers work collaboratively with local agencies, including the R.C.M.P and the municipal office,
and are at the forefront of the community, focusing on safety and addressing and investigating
concerns. Through 2023, the Town of Whitecourt employed one full-time Community Peace
Officer and one full-time Bylaw Officer.
Officers are responsible for enforcing local bylaws and the following Provincial Statutes and
Regulations: Traffic Safety Act, Provincial Procedures Act, Animal Protection Act, Gaming,
Liquor and Cannabis Act, Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, Dangerous Dog Act,
Petty Trespass Act and the Tobacco, Smoking and Vaping Reduction Act. Municipally, the
officers enforce the Traffic Bylaw, Animal Control Bylaw, Land Use Bylaw and the Community
Standards Bylaw.
Community Peace Officer 1 Lance Grywacheski and Bylaw Officer Tapanga Lang, who joined
the force in October, replacing Bylaw Officer Steven Lang, sat alongside Lee Hardman, Director
of Community Safety for the Town of Whitecourt, at the January 22 Regular Meeting, to provide
council with the report and answer any questions.
In 2021, officers responded to 1175 activities, including incoming complaints, warnings, traffic or
animal control and violations. In 2022, they responded to 1313; in 2023, that number grew to 1772.
The growth was mainly due to staffing issues rectified in 2023, leading to a higher and
more typical activity count last year.
In 2023, there were 162 complaints received by the Town of Whitecourt. There were 195
violation tickets written up, 272 warnings given, and 393 Community Patrols conducted. Officers
also lent their assistance to other departments 48 times.
The report highlighted the stats for 21 activities that officers deal with. Officers deal with far
more activities throughout the year but selected those 21 key activities to provide a breakdown
of and three years of data to compare them against. “We probably have a couple of hundred
items that we haven’t got on that list. There are about three hundred-plus items,” said
Grywacheski, speaking of the extensive catalogue of activities they see in any given year.
Activities on the list included parking in front of a fire hydrant or in a fire lane, which saw a
significant increase. In 2021, there were five infractions and ten in 2022. However, in 2023, 25
infractions were logged. Officer Grywacheski explained that there wasn’t a specific area leading
to the uptick, saying that infractions happened throughout the community.
Another category that increased from 2022 to 2023 was Unattached Trailers. Seventeen
activities were logged in 2022 but rose significantly to 36 last year. This includes trailers left
unattended or parked where they should not be, like a parking lot or on private property.

On the flip side, areas that decreased significantly included towing due to snow removal, which
dropped from 102 down to 19 due in part to less snow accumulation through early and late 2023
and more signage. Community Standards – Unsightly/Nuisance Property was another area to
record a significant decline, dropping from 316 to 75, while No Parking infractions also fell from
207 to 85.
One area that recorded a high jump in activity was Animal Control. In 2021, 85 activities were
logged, with a slight decline the following year, lowering to 75. But, last year, Animal Control
activities ballooned to 149. The Town of Whitecourt employs an Animal Control Contractor to
help deal with animal-related concerns. Last year, the contractor impounded 24 dogs, while
officers impounded nine. For cats, officers seized 19, while the contractor impounded 106,
totalling 158 animals between the two enforcement arms.
Grywacheski explained that the number of impounded cats can jump quite quickly depending on
where and when the traps go out. He said that a recent trapping event led to the capture of 15-
20 cats from one neighbourhood in one weekend. “It depends how many stray cats there are in
that specific neighborhood,” he said. Updates to Whitecourt’s Animal Control Bylaw are
anticipated this year.
Along with the previously mentioned activities, Municipal Enforcement officers receive regular
training and develop or help participate in public awareness campaigns and events. Being
present within the community by attending public events such as Party in the Park, Canada Day,
Run 4 Fun, and other town-sanctioned events is also a big part of the job. Officers patrol
community streets and the vast trail system within Whitecourt, and in the spring/summer/fall,
can often be seen on their bikes, weather permitting.
When asked if most tickets or listed activities result from a phone call from a concerned
resident, Officer Lang explained that it’s pretty even between phone calls and patrols. “When
we’re driving around, it’s very easy to see that someone is, say, parking in front of a fire hydrant.
Same with unattached trailers, typically it’s more so that I’m driving around the community and I
notice a trailer is unattached.” She said there are many complaints, and they deal with those as
they come in, but regular patrols also bring in activities. “It’s really 50/50.”
In wrapping up the presentation, Hardman noted that Bylaw Officer Lang would be undertaking
additional training, including the necessary steps to upgrade her to the Peace Officer
designation. Training will also be undertaken by Community Peace Officer 1 Grywacheski as the
pair continue to grow their skills, increasing the already top-notch quality of enforcement in the
community.