You can no longer dump your goldfish in a Grande Prairie pond. If you do, it will cost you $250. Do it again and you could be looking at $2,500.
Grande Prairie City Council passed an amendment to Bylaw C-1103G — the Noise, Nuisance and Public Disturbances Bylaw on May 25, explicitly prohibiting releasing, abandoning, relocating, depositing, or introducing any animal into a public place or on public property. The bylaw received three readings at the May 25 council meeting.
First offence: $250. Second or subsequent offence: more than $500 and up to $2,500.
What triggered this
The amendment came from a report administration brought to the Public and Protective Services Committee on May 19, which identified a gap in the existing bylaw around animals being released into public spaces. Committee passed the motion forward to council, which approved it six days later.
Mayor Jackie Clayton explained the intent directly. "It is an infraction on our bylaw if you were to bring wildlife animals into our city and try to domesticate them or make them part of your everyday life, that is not okay."
She gave two specific examples: dumping goldfish into a pond, or releasing a rabbit you no longer want.
Neither of those examples is hypothetical.
The feral rabbit problem
Grande Prairie has a documented feral rabbit problem. The city's own wildlife guide notes that feral rabbits which are not native to Alberta can cause significant damage to gardens, landscaping, and public spaces. Feeding them makes it worse. Under the existing Bylaw C-1103, it is already illegal to feed wildlife or place food attractants on public or private property. The new amendment closes the loop by targeting the source: people releasing domestic rabbits into parks and greenspaces when they no longer want them.
A domestic rabbit released into a park does not know how to survive a northern Alberta winter. It also breeds rapidly with other released rabbits, creating a feral population that competes with native wildlife, damages vegetation, and attracts predators into residential areas. A $250 fine is the city's way of telling residents that releasing an unwanted pet into a public space is not a humane solution it is an offence.
The goldfish problem is real too
Goldfish in ponds sounds like a punchline. It is not.
Goldfish released into natural water bodies are one of the most documented invasive species problems in North American freshwater systems. Domestic goldfish descended from carp grow significantly larger in the wild, reproduce quickly, stir up sediment while feeding, destroy aquatic vegetation, and displace native fish species. They have been found in lakes and rivers across Alberta, including in the North Saskatchewan River system.
A single goldfish released into a storm pond or retention basin can survive, find others, and establish a population. Grande Prairie's stormwater ponds connect to natural waterways. The bylaw explicitly covers this scenario.
What to do instead
If you have a pet you can no longer care for, the Grande Prairie Regional Animal Care Facility accepts surrendered animals. For aquatic pets, the city recommends contacting a local pet store about rehoming or the GPRACF for guidance. Releasing an animal any animal into a public space is now a bylaw offence regardless of the species or the reason.
For questions about the bylaw or to report a violation, contact the City of Grande Prairie at 780-532-4491 or visit cityofgp.com.
Sources:
City of Grande Prairie, Council Highlights for the meeting held May 25, 2026 (cityofgp.com)
City of Grande Prairie, Bylaw C-1103G amendment, May 25, 2026
City of Grande Prairie, Wildlife: Native and Non-Native Species (cityofgp.com/wildlifeguide)
Mayor Jackie Clayton, statement to My Grande Prairie Now, May 28, 2026
