Montreal man ordered to pay $50 for feeding squirrel

A Montreal man who fought a $455 ticket for feeding a park squirrel has lost his legal battle to cancel the fine.

Bruce Kert has four months to pay a $50 fine for feeding wildlife in the park, a municipal offence in Westmount (set as a bylaw in 1912).

The municipal court judge who heard Kert's appeal said he didn't have the power to dispense with the ticket. The $455 fine was reduced to $50 at an earlier municipal court hearing.

Kert told the Montreal Gazette he was relieved to pay the reduced fine, which he said "is better than being a spokesperson for Westmount about not feeding squirrels."

That idea was put forward by Westmount Mayor Karin Marks earlier this year.

A bylaw officer caught Kert feeding a squirrel in Westmount Park in September 2006.

Kert, a musician, has written a song about feeding squirrels, after reflecting on his experience.

Westmount is planning to install signs in the park to warn people about feeding wildlife.