---
title: Lions Bay dog leash rules and off-leash areas
question: "Where can dogs be off leash in Lions Bay, and what are the leash rules?"
place: Lions Bay, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/lions-bay
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: Village of Lions Bay
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/dog-leash-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/dog-leash-rules.json"
---

# Lions Bay dog leash rules and off-leash areas

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

**Short answer:** In Lions Bay, a dog must be on a leash off its owner's property, held by a competent person. Dogs may run off leash on certain listed trails, but the first 50 metres of each trail is on-leash. Dogs are not allowed on Brunswick Beach or Lions Bay Beach at any time.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Lions Bay, https://www.lionsbay.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice: dog at large $85; dog waste not removed $60; dog in a prohibited area $60.  
**How long:** Not applicable  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 604-834-3404
- Email: Bylaw Services (complaints in writing), bylaw@lionsbay.ca
- In person: Village Office, 400 Centre Road, Lions Bay, BC V0N 2E0 (Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Leash rule:** No dog may run at large. Off the owner's property a dog must be on a leash, tether or other suitable device, in the immediate care and control of a competent person. Exceptions: dog shows or trials, police or security work. On the owner's own property the dog must be securely contained.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 461, 2014, s. 6.6.1, 6.6.3, 6.6.4](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2022-01/bylaw_461_-_animal_control_licencing_consolidation_1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No owner of a dog shall permit the dog to be running at large in the Village. Dogs must" … "be kept on a leash, tether or other suitable device, and be under the immediate care" … "actively involved in a dog show, dog trial or other similar activity OR;" … "keep the dog securely contained so as to prevent the dog escaping from the owner’s property."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Maximum leash length:** None set. The bylaw sets no maximum leash length for ordinary dogs.
- **Off-leash areas:** Dogs may be off leash on the trails listed in s. 6.7.2 (Centennial, Crystal Falls, Harrison, Lions, Loggers Lane, Marjorie's Meadows, Soundview, Sunset, Tidewater/Kelvin, Totally Unnecessary, Trudi's and Upper Harrison), but the first 50 metres of each trail is on-leash. Owners must keep sight of the dog. (Sources differ: Conflict: the Village's Forms page names Kelvin Grove Beach Park, Marjory Meadows and the trail from Soundview to Bayview Road as off-leash areas. The bylaw (s. 6.7.2) lists twelve trails and does not name Kelvin Grove Beach Park. The bylaw is followed. No map or separate list was found.)
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 461, 2014, s. 6.2, 6.7.2, 6.7.3](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2022-01/bylaw_461_-_animal_control_licencing_consolidation_1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "dogs are required to be on-leash at all times within the Village" … "Marjorie’s Meadows" … "Totally Unnecessary Trail" … "The first 50 metres of all trails noted in Section 6.7.2 are designated as on-leash areas." … "Dog owners will maintain sight of their dog at all times while utilizing off-leash areas of"
  - Source: [Forms & Applications, Dog License Application Form entry](https://www.lionsbay.ca/services/administration/forms-applications)
  - Official wording: "Kelvin Grove Beach Park, Marjory Meadows and the trail from Soundview to Bayview Road have been designated as off-leash areas."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Places dogs are not allowed:** Brunswick Beach and Lions Bay Beach, at all times.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 461, 2014, s. 6.7.1](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2022-01/bylaw_461_-_animal_control_licencing_consolidation_1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dogs are prohibited at all times from the following areas in the Village:" … "Brunswick Beach" … "Lions Bay Beach"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Cleaning up:** Whoever has care of the dog must immediately remove its excrement from a highway, public place or anyone else's land and dispose of it in a sanitary way.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 461, 2014, s. 6.3](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2022-01/bylaw_461_-_animal_control_licencing_consolidation_1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "the person having care, custody, or control of the animal shall" … "immediately remove the excrement and dispose of it in a sanitary manner."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Bylaw notice: dog at large $85 ($75 if paid within 14 days, $95 after 28 days). Failing to remove dog waste $60 ($50 early, $70 late). Dog in a prohibited area $60 ($50, $70).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 385, 2006, Schedule A, Schedule A, Animal Control & Licensing Bylaw No. 461](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-06/Bylaw%20385%20-Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20%28Consolidation%20640%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dog at large $85 $75 $95" … "Fail to remove dog waste $60 $50 $70" … "Dog in prohibited area $60 $50 $70"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No 461, 2014 (s. 6.6 and 6.7).
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 461, 2014, s. 1.1](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2022-01/bylaw_461_-_animal_control_licencing_consolidation_1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as “Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No 461, 2014”"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Under the Village of Lions Bay's [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 461](<https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2022-01/bylaw_461_-_animal_control_licencing_consolidation_1.pdf>), no dog may run at large. Away from the owner's property, a dog must be on a leash, tether or other suitable device and in the immediate care and control of a competent person. Dog shows or trials and police or security work are exempt. On your own property the dog must be securely contained.

## Good to know

- Off-leash trails (bylaw s. 6.7.2): Centennial, Crystal Falls, Harrison, Lions, Loggers Lane, Marjorie's Meadows, Soundview, Sunset, Tidewater/Kelvin, Totally Unnecessary, Trudi's and Upper Harrison. The first 50 metres of each trail is on-leash, and you must keep sight of your dog.
- Dogs are not allowed on Brunswick Beach or Lions Bay Beach at any time.
- The bylaw sets no maximum leash length for ordinary dogs. A leash for an aggressive or dangerous dog may be no longer than 1.5 metres.
- Pick up after your dog right away, from any highway, public place or someone else's land, and dispose of it in a sanitary way.
- The Village's [Forms & Applications](<https://www.lionsbay.ca/services/administration/forms-applications>) page lists slightly different off-leash places (it names Kelvin Grove Beach Park and does not list all twelve trails). The bylaw is followed here. Ask Bylaw Services to confirm a specific spot.
- Bylaw notice fines ([Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw](<https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-06/Bylaw%20385%20-Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20%28Consolidation%20640%29.pdf>)): dog at large $85 ($75 if paid within 14 days, $95 after 28 days); not removing dog waste $60 ($50, $70); dog in a prohibited area $60 ($50, $70).

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 461, 2014 (PDF), Village of Lions Bay](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2022-01/bylaw_461_-_animal_control_licencing_consolidation_1.pdf)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 385, 2006, Schedule A (PDF), Village of Lions Bay](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-06/Bylaw%20385%20-Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20%28Consolidation%20640%29.pdf)
- [Forms & Applications, Village of Lions Bay](https://www.lionsbay.ca/services/administration/forms-applications)

## Related questions

- [Lions Bay dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/dog-licence.md)
- [Lions Bay rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Lions Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/how-many-pets.md)
- [Lions Bay bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Bowen Island](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Gibsons](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Squamish](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/dog-leash-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 461, 2014 (PDF), Village of Lions Bay](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2022-01/bylaw_461_-_animal_control_licencing_consolidation_1.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 385, 2006, Schedule A (PDF), Village of Lions Bay](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-06/Bylaw%20385%20-Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20%28Consolidation%20640%29.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Forms & Applications, Village of Lions Bay](https://www.lionsbay.ca/services/administration/forms-applications) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Lions Bay. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/dog-leash-rules/_