On Wednesday, municipal workers began a citywide effort to distribute sweet‑smelling baits that contain a rabies vaccine throughout Montreal’s public parks. The operation, launched at 16:51 UTC on 2 September 2026, is intended to head off a potential outbreak of the disease among local wildlife.
The bait program focuses on species known to carry rabies, including raccoons and skunks, which are capable of transmitting the virus to humans through bites. By placing vaccine‑laden bait in areas where these animals forage, officials aim to immunise wildlife populations before the disease can spread beyond animal reservoirs.
Rabies is a fatal neurological illness that can move from wildlife to people, prompting the city to act pre‑emptively. The use of edible bait allows animals to ingest the vaccine voluntarily, offering a practical method of delivering immunisation across a broad geographic area without the need for direct capture or handling of individual animals.
City authorities described the initiative as a proactive public‑health measure designed to protect both residents and the urban ecosystem. Workers will continue to monitor the distribution of bait throughout the park system, ensuring coverage of the areas most frequented by the targeted species. The programme reflects an ongoing commitment to prevent rabies from establishing a foothold in Montreal’s wildlife and to safeguard the health of the community.