BR-Ont-Marineland-Deer
Written by The Canadian Press on July 10, 2026
NIAGARA FALLS — More than 300 deer at Marineland have been the focus of a months-long investigation by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Marineland workers allege an animal broker has been improperly removing hundreds of deer from the park, including those pledged to other people.
The amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ontario, closed to the public since 2024, is up for sale and sources say a deal for the land is in place with the condition that all animals must be gone before the sale closes.
The deer, like the 30 belugas and four dolphins that remain at the park, are expected to be moved off the property within the next few months.
Marineland has been trying to get rid of its animals for a few years now and had people lined up to take more than 700 deer that lived there.
Then Marineland says it found out about a deal late park founder John Holer had with a family who told the park they owned all the deer.
The C-F-I-A says it is monitoring the movement of the deer as its probe continues.
Carole Lyne Laramée says Marineland agreed to give her more than 100 red deer two years ago, then told her in March they did not own the animals.
She says she spent more than 100-thousand dollars to build an enclosure for them on her property in northern Ontario, and is devastated.
Emails, text and calls to Mike Hart, the owner of the deer, went unanswered.
The Canadian Press