---
title: North Saanich dog leash rules and off-leash areas
question: "Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the rules on beaches and in parks?"
place: North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/north-saanich
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of North Saanich
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/dog-leash-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/dog-leash-rules.json"
---

# North Saanich dog leash rules and off-leash areas

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

**Short answer:** North Saanich has no general leash requirement for ordinary dogs. Under Animal Control Bylaw 751 a dog may not run at large, meaning off its owner's land and not under direct and continuous control. The District's park guide shows an off-leash area at Cy Hampson Park and requires leashes at Dominion Brook Park.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of North Saanich, https://www.northsaanich.ca)  
**Cost:** Running at large is a $130 municipal ticket, or $100 if paid within 30 days (2022 amounts; may have changed).  
**Where:**
- Phone: CRD Animal Control, 250-478-0624 (After hours 1-800-884-0919.)
- Phone: Infrastructure Services (park issues), 250-655-5480

## Key facts

- **Leash rule:** A dog must not 'run at large': that means being on land the owner does not own or occupy, unless the dog is under the direct and continuous control of a competent person, securely confined, or securely fastened. The bylaw does not say 'on a leash' for ordinary dogs. In parks a dog may run at large only as Bylaw 751 allows. Dominion Brook Park: dogs must be leashed at all times.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 751, ss. 1.2, 17.1(a)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf)
  - Official wording: "if it is on land which is not owned or occupied by the owner of the animal;" … "under the direct and continuous control of a person who is competent to control it" … "No owner of an animal shall suffer or permit such animal to"
  - Source: [Parks Bylaw No. 1470, s. 9](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1470-North-Saanich-Parks-Bylaw-No.-1470-2018.pdf)
  - Official wording: "may allow it to run at large in a park only if that is permitted under"
  - Source: [Guide to Parks, Trails & Beach Accesses, Guide to Parks, Trails & Beach Accesses (Dominion Brook Park)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/ns-parks-trails-and-beach-access-pamphlet-web-final-v1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "must be leashed at all times in Dominion Brook Park."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Maximum leash length:** None set. Bylaw 751 sets no leash length for ordinary dogs.
- **Off-leash areas:** Cy Hampson Park, Lochside Drive: the District's Guide to Parks, Trails & Beach Accesses describes a 'dogs off leash' area between Lochside and Patricia Bay Highway. The Guide is the District's list of parks, trails and beach accesses.
  - Source: [Guide to Parks, Trails & Beach Accesses, Guide to Parks, Trails & Beach Accesses (Cy Hampson Park)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/ns-parks-trails-and-beach-access-pamphlet-web-final-v1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Located on Lochside Drive, it is a wheelchair accessible waterfront park" … "a “dogs off leash” area between Lochside and Patricia Bay Highway."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Places dogs are not allowed:** None set. The bylaws read have no dog ban on beaches, playgrounds or sports fields.
- **Cleaning up:** If a dog defecates in a park or on public land in the District, the owner or person in charge must clean up and remove the feces immediately.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 751, s. 17.11](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf)
  - Official wording: "In the event that a dog or dogs defecates in or upon any park or public lands" … "shall be responsible for the immediate clean up and removal of feces"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Municipal ticket (MTI Bylaw 1544, Schedule 8): $130, or $100 if paid within 30 days (running at large, s. 17.1(a)). These 2022 amounts may be out of date; the District has 2026 ticket bylaws.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1544 (Schedule 8)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Municipal-Ticket-Information-Bylaw-No.-1544.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Permit animal to run at large 17.1(a) $130.00 $100.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** District of North Saanich Animal Control By-law (1993), Bylaw No. 751 (running at large, s. 17.1); Parks Bylaw No. 1470 (animals in parks, s. 9)
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 751, s. 22.1 and title](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf)
  - Official wording: "District of North Saanich Animal Control By-law (1993)" … "ANIMAL CONTROL BY-LAW NO. 751"
  - Source: [Parks Bylaw No. 1470, s. 1](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1470-North-Saanich-Parks-Bylaw-No.-1470-2018.pdf)
  - Official wording: "North $aanich Parks Bylaw No. 1470 (2018)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Animal Control Bylaw No. 751](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf) does not say "on a leash" for ordinary dogs. Instead, a dog must not run at large. That means being on land its owner does not own or occupy, unless the dog is under the direct and continuous control of a competent person, securely confined or securely fastened. In a park, a dog may run at large only as Bylaw 751 allows (see [Parks Bylaw No. 1470](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1470-North-Saanich-Parks-Bylaw-No.-1470-2018.pdf), s. 9).

The District's Guide to Parks, Trails & Beach Accesses points out two places:

- Cy Hampson Park, Lochside Drive: a "dogs off leash" area between Lochside and Patricia Bay Highway.
- Dominion Brook Park: dogs must be leashed at all times.

## Good to know

- The guide's general advice for trails is to keep your dog under control and remove droppings. Other parks may have their own rules; the guide's map symbols were not readable, so check with the District.
- If your dog defecates in a park or on public land, you must clean it up immediately.
- Bylaw 751 sets no leash length for ordinary dogs. Dangerous dogs must be on a leash no longer than 2.4 metres.
- Bylaw 751 bans horses, not dogs, from public beaches from May 1 to September 30. We found no dog ban on beaches, playgrounds or sports fields in the bylaws.
- Running at large is a $130 municipal ticket, or $100 if paid within 30 days. These 2022 amounts may have changed under the District's 2026 ticket bylaws, which we could not read.
- Report loose dogs to CRD Animal Control, 250-478-0624. Coles Bay and other CRD regional parks have their own rules.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 751 (PDF)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf)
- [Parks Bylaw No. 1470 (PDF)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1470-North-Saanich-Parks-Bylaw-No.-1470-2018.pdf)
- [Parks, Beaches & Trails](https://www.northsaanich.ca/lands-planning/parks-beaches-trails)

## Related questions

- [North Saanich rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [North Saanich dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/dog-licence.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Sidney](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Central Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/dog-leash-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 751 (PDF)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/0751-Animal-Control-Cons-February-2014.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Parks Bylaw No. 1470 (PDF)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1470-North-Saanich-Parks-Bylaw-No.-1470-2018.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Guide to Parks, Trails & Beach Accesses (PDF)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/ns-parks-trails-and-beach-access-pamphlet-web-final-v1.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1544 (Schedule 8) (PDF)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Municipal-Ticket-Information-Bylaw-No.-1544.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Dog Licences, District of North Saanich](https://www.northsaanich.ca/local-government/applications-permits-licences/dog-licences) (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 are recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of North Saanich. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/dog-leash-rules/_