--- title: Qualicum Beach dog leash rules and off-leash areas question: "Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?" place: Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/qualicum-beach category: Pets, animals and wildlife owner: municipal owner_body: Town of Qualicum Beach sources_read: 2026-11-06 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/dog-leash-rules/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/dog-leash-rules.json" --- # Qualicum Beach dog leash rules and off-leash areas **Question:** Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules? **Short answer:** In Qualicum Beach, a dog off its owner's property must be on a leash or tether and under a competent person's control, except in designated off-leash areas. Off-leash areas are at Qualicum Beach Community Park and off Garden Road East. A dog at large is a $75 ticket. **Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Qualicum Beach, https://www.qualicumbeach.com) **Cost:** Ticket for a dog at large or not contained on your property: $75. Impound fee $50 for the first impoundment in a calendar year and $100 for each later one, plus $15 a day, plus a $20 penalty if the dog is unlicensed. **How long:** Rules apply year-round. The beach dog ban runs March 1 to April 30 each year. **Where:** - Phone: Bylaw Enforcement, 250-738-2205 - Phone: Parksville-Qualicum Beach SPCA (missing or impounded dogs), 250-248-3811 - Online: Off-leash dog parks, https://qualicumbeach.com/recreation-culture/parks-recreation/off-leash-dog-parks/ ## Key facts - **Leash rule:** Off your own property a dog must be on a leash, tether or other suitable device strong enough to restrain it, and under the immediate care and control of a competent person. Exceptions: a designated off-leash area, a dog show or trial, police or security work. On the owner's property the dog must be securely tethered or contained. The Town says dogs must be on leash in all public areas, including the beach walkway and the Heritage Forest. - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009, s. 23-25](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Animal%20Control%20Bylaw%20649%2C%202009%2Epdf) - Official wording: "unless the dog is kept on a leash, tether or other suitable device" … "within a designated off-leash area." … "keep the dog securely tethered or contained so as to prevent the dog escaping from the owner's property." - Source: [Off-Leash Dog Parks, Off Leash Dog Parks](https://qualicumbeach.com/recreation-culture/parks-recreation/off-leash-dog-parks/) - Official wording: "Dogs must be on leash in all public areas, including the beach walkway and the Heritage Forest." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Maximum leash length:** None set. Qualicum Beach's bylaw sets no maximum leash length for ordinary dogs. - **Off-leash areas:** Qualicum Beach Community Park (trails near the Civic Centre, plus a fenced off-leash dog park off the Civic Centre parking lot) and the off-leash dog park off Garden Road East near the airport. Bylaw Schedule A maps the off-leash areas. - Source: [Off-Leash Dog Parks, Areas Where Dogs Can Be Off Leash](https://qualicumbeach.com/recreation-culture/parks-recreation/off-leash-dog-parks/) - Official wording: "The Community Park near the Civic Centre offers extensive off leash trails for dogs to explore." … "A designated off leash dog park is located off Garden Road East, near the Qualicum Beach Airport." - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009, s. 2, Sched. A](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Animal%20Control%20Bylaw%20649%2C%202009%2Epdf) - Official wording: ""Off-Leash Area" means an area shown cross-hatched on the map attached as" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Places dogs are not allowed:** Inside the airport security fence/gate (unless the Airport Manager allows it), on the playing fields in the Community Park, and on the public beach from March 1 to April 30 each year (Brant migration). - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009, s. 28](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Animal%20Control%20Bylaw%20649%2C%202009%2Epdf) - Official wording: "within those portions of the Qualicum Beach Airport contained within the security" … "on playing fields in the Community Park" … "on a public beach between March 1 and April 30 in each year" - Source: [Off-Leash Dog Parks, Areas Where Dogs Are Not Permitted](https://qualicumbeach.com/recreation-culture/parks-recreation/off-leash-dog-parks/) - Official wording: "On the Public Beach between March 1 and April 30 (to protect geese during migration season)." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Cleaning up:** Whoever has care or control of the animal must immediately remove its excrement from a highway, public place or someone else's land and dispose of it in a sanitary manner. Guide animals and on-duty police dogs are exempt. - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009, s. 41-42](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Animal%20Control%20Bylaw%20649%2C%202009%2Epdf) - Official wording: "immediately remove the excrement and dispose of it in a sanitary manner." … "Section 41 does not apply to a person with a disability accompanied by a guide animal" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Municipal ticket: $75 for a dog at large (s. 23). Failing to contain a dog on the owner's property: $75. - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 626, consolidated to 626.07, Sched. 2, items 17-18](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Municipal%20Ticket%20Information%20Utilization%20Bylaw%20No.%20626%20(Consolidated%20up%20to%20Bylaw%20No.%20626.07%29.pdf) - Official wording: "Dog At Large" … "Failure to Contain Dog on Owner" … "$75.00" - Source: [Qualicum Beach, Fines](https://qualicumbeach.com/dog-licences) - Official wording: "Dog At Large: $75" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bylaw:** Town of Qualicum Beach Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009 - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009, s. 1](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Animal%20Control%20Bylaw%20649%2C%202009%2Epdf) - Official wording: "Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works Under the [Animal Control Bylaw No. 649](), a dog off its owner's property must be on a leash, tether or other suitable device strong enough to restrain it, and under the immediate care and control of a competent person. On your own property the dog must be securely tethered or contained. The exceptions are a designated off-leash area, a dog show or trial, and police or security work. The Town says dogs must be on leash in all public areas, including the beach walkway and the Heritage Forest. ## Where dogs can be off leash - Qualicum Beach Community Park: the trails near the Civic Centre, plus a fenced off-leash dog park off the Civic Centre parking lot. - The off-leash dog park off Garden Road East, near the airport. - Schedule A of the bylaw maps the off-leash areas. ## Where dogs are not allowed - Inside the airport security fence or gate, unless the Airport Manager allows it. - On the playing fields in the Community Park. - On the public beach from March 1 to April 30 each year (Brant migration). ## Good to know - The bylaw sets no maximum leash length for ordinary dogs. - Whoever has care or control of a dog must immediately remove its excrement from a highway, public place or someone else's land and dispose of it in a sanitary manner. Guide animals and on-duty police dogs are exempt. - A dog at large is a $75 municipal ticket. Failing to contain a dog on your property is also $75. - Impound fees are in [Miscellaneous Rates Bylaw No. 638](). ## Official forms and pages - [Off-Leash Dog Parks, Town of Qualicum Beach](https://qualicumbeach.com/recreation-culture/parks-recreation/off-leash-dog-parks/) - [Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009 (PDF)](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Animal%20Control%20Bylaw%20649%2C%202009%2Epdf) ## Related questions - [Qualicum Beach dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/dog-licence.md) - [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/how-many-pets.md) - [Qualicum Beach rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/dangerous-dogs.md) - [Qualicum Beach bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/bylaw-fines.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Parksville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Nanaimo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Sechelt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/dog-leash-rules.md) ## Sources - [Animal Control Bylaw No. 649, 2009 (PDF)](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Animal%20Control%20Bylaw%20649%2C%202009%2Epdf) (read 2026-11-06) - [Off-Leash Dog Parks, Town of Qualicum Beach](https://qualicumbeach.com/recreation-culture/parks-recreation/off-leash-dog-parks/) (read 2026-11-06) - [Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 626, consolidated to 626.07 (PDF)](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Municipal%20Ticket%20Information%20Utilization%20Bylaw%20No.%20626%20(Consolidated%20up%20to%20Bylaw%20No.%20626.07%29.pdf) (read 2026-11-06) - [Miscellaneous Rates Bylaw No. 638, 2009, consolidated (PDF)](https://qualicumbeach.com/preview/?file_path=Bylaws/Miscellaneous%20Rates%2C%20Bylaw%20No.%20638%2C%202009/Miscellaneous%20Rates%2C%20Bylaw%20No.%20638%2C%202009%20(Consolidated%29.pdf) (read 2026-11-06) - [Qualicum Beach](https://qualicumbeach.com/dog-licences) (read 2026-11-06) _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 Town of Qualicum Beach. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/dog-leash-rules/_