---
title: Grand Forks dog leash rules and off-leash areas
question: "Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?"
place: Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/grand-forks
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Grand Forks
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/dog-leash-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/dog-leash-rules.json"
---

# Grand Forks dog leash rules and off-leash areas

**Question:** Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?

**Short answer:** In the City of Grand Forks, a dog on a street or in a public place must be on a leash, held by a competent person. The leash may be up to 2.4 metres, or an extendable lead up to 8 metres. Dogs may run loose only in posted or designated off-leash areas, which the bylaws do not list.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Grand Forks, https://www.grandforks.ca)  
**Cost:** Municipal tickets: $15 for a dog at large (Animal Control Bylaw); $50 for an animal at large on a beach, in a park or public space (Park Bylaw); $25 for not removing excrement.  
**Where:**
- Phone: City Hall, 250-442-8266 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
- Email: City Hall, info@grandforks.ca

## Key facts

- **Leash rule:** On a highway or public place a dog must be under the immediate charge and control of a competent person, on a leash, unless in a posted off-leash area. In any park or public space a dog is 'at large' unless securely leashed, except in a designated Dog Off-Leash Park.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116, ss. 8, 10](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2116Animal-Control.pdf)
  - Official wording: "unless the Dog is under the immediate charge and control of a person competent to restrain the Dog:" … "unless specifically posted as an off-leash area in the Control Area."
  - Source: [Park and Public Spaces Access Bylaw No. 2057 (consolidated, PDF), ss. 2.1, 15, 15.1](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2057Park-and-Public-Spaces-Access-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf)
  - Official wording: "and not securely leashed and under control of the Owner;" … "A person shall not cause, allow, or permit pets or other animals to be At Large on any beach, Park, or Public Space within the Municipality." … "which has been designated as a Dog Off-Leash Park."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Maximum leash length:** A leash up to 2.4 metres, or a leash lead up to 8 metres when fully extended.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116, s. 8.1, 8.2](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2116Animal-Control.pdf)
  - Official wording: "on a leash that is not longer than 2.4 metres; or," … "on a leash lead that is not longer than 8 metres when fully extended."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Off-leash areas:** Not confirmed. Neither bylaw nor any City page read lists off-leash parks or places where dogs are banned.
- **Places dogs are not allowed:** Not confirmed. Neither bylaw nor any City page read lists off-leash parks or places where dogs are banned.
- **Cleaning up:** Pick up and dispose of dog excrement in a sanitary manner immediately, on any highway or public place and on private property you don't own. Also required in parks and on trails. A person who is legally blind or visually impaired with a registered guide dog is exempt.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116, ss. 11-13](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2116Animal-Control.pdf)
  - Official wording: "unless the person immediately removes the excrement and disposes of it in a sanitary manner." … "Paragraphs 11 and 12 do not apply to a person who is legally blind or visually impaired"
  - Source: [Park and Public Spaces Access Bylaw No. 2057 (consolidated, PDF), s. 15.2](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2057Park-and-Public-Spaces-Access-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf)
  - Official wording: "An Owner must immediately remove and dispose of, in a sanitary manner, feces"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Municipal ticket: $15 for a dog or animal at large (Animal Control Bylaw s. 15); $50 for an animal at large on a beach, in a park or public space (Park and Public Spaces Access Bylaw s. 15).
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2073, Schedule U; Schedule R](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2073Municipal-Ticket-Information-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED-2.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dog or animal at large $15.00" … "Animal At Large on beach, Park, or Public Space $50.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116 and Park and Public Spaces Access Bylaw No. 2057.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116, s. 1](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2116Animal-Control.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited as the “Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116”"
  - Source: [Park and Public Spaces Access Bylaw No. 2057 (consolidated, PDF), Title](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2057Park-and-Public-Spaces-Access-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Park and Public Spaces Access Bylaw No. 2057"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2116Animal-Control.pdf), a dog on a highway or public place must be under the immediate charge and control of a competent person, on a leash, unless it is in a posted off-leash area. The leash may be up to 2.4 metres, or a leash lead up to 8 metres when fully extended. The [Park and Public Spaces Access Bylaw No. 2057](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2057Park-and-Public-Spaces-Access-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf) says a dog in any park or public space is "at large" unless securely leashed, except in a designated Dog Off-Leash Park.

## Good to know

- Neither bylaw, nor any City page read, lists where the off-leash parks are, or any places where dogs are banned. Ask City Hall at 250-442-8266.
- Pick up and dispose of your dog's excrement in a sanitary manner immediately, on streets and public places, on parks and trails, and on private property you do not own. A person who is legally blind or visually impaired with a registered guide dog is exempt.
- The leash rule does not apply to dogs in a lawfully organized dog show or performance trial.
- A dog at large is a $15 municipal ticket under the Animal Control Bylaw, or $50 on a beach, in a park or in a public space under the Park Bylaw. Not picking up excrement is $25.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116 (PDF)](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2116Animal-Control.pdf)
- [Park and Public Spaces Access Bylaw No. 2057 (PDF)](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2057Park-and-Public-Spaces-Access-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Grand Forks dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/dog-licence.md)
- [Grand Forks rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/dangerous-dogs.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Midway](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/midway/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Rossland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Warfield](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Trail](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Montrose](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Castlegar](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/dog-leash-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116 (PDF), City of Grand Forks](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2116Animal-Control.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Park and Public Spaces Access Bylaw No. 2057 (consolidated, PDF), City of Grand Forks](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2057Park-and-Public-Spaces-Access-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2073 (PDF), City of Grand Forks](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2073Municipal-Ticket-Information-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED-2.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Building Inspections and Bylaw Services, City of Grand Forks](https://www.grandforks.ca/building-inspections/) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 2 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Grand Forks. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/dog-leash-rules/_