City of Barrie looking into battling gypsy moth caterpillar invasion
Thousands of gypsy moth caterpillars are on a feeding frenzy in Barrie, and now city councillors are looking into options to deal with the infestation.
"This is something, particularly the northeast end of Barrie, we are seeing heavy impact around the amount of caterpillars and the damage that's being done and the nuisance it's causing," said Ward 3 councillor Ann-Marie Kungl.
At Monday's virtual city council meeting, councillors gave initial approval for the city to look into things like aerial spraying or pheromone traps to help prevent future gypsy moth invasion.
Councillors added an amendment was added to include some residential neighbourhoods in addition to wooded lots.
"We want to see if there is a reasonable approach to make sure that's considered and not left out of any treatment plans," Kungl said.
The motion will go to council next week for final approval.
In the meantime, experts say it's difficult to predict if the outbreak will carry over to the next year.
"We are certainly still hoping that with the endemic proportions we are seeing, we may still see a fair bit of mortality from the virus that will at some point kick in and control this population," said Graeme Davis, Simcoe County Forester.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.