Bear Awareness Committee calls for new bear-resistant bin pilot project

The City of Prince George’s Advisory Committee on Bear Awareness is making some recommendations to Prince George City Council.

These recommendations, a total of eight of them, come from the committee’s meeting on October 16th.

Two of the recommendations would have the City phase in bear-resistant garbage bins in both public places and in residential areas.

In 2019, the City had done a pilot project of providing residents in an area of the Hart with bear-resistant bins. It was deemed unsuccessful, as City staff said the locking mechanisms on the bins were “unreliable and problematic.”

According to the Committee’s report to Council, the bins used in that pilot project have since been discontinued, and an improved model is now available.

The Committee is proposing a new, two-year pilot project to test several bear-resistant bins from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee approved list that will be compatible with city operations.

The pilot project would be to determine which of the tested bins would be utilized in a city-wide rollout, with a priority to high bear activity areas and an end goal of having all residents with bear-resistant bins that are always secured.

The Committee also suggests using incentive strategies to encourage residents to opt-in to the use of the bins.

Another one of the recommendations is to establish a City staff position with a focus on sustainable waste management that includes achieving Provincial Bear Smart Status and reducing human-wildlife conflict.

They’re asking Council to commit sustained financial support for this position for each year of the 2025 to 2030 5-year Operational Financial Plan.

The Committee’s report does not have a salary attached to the position.

They’re also asking that Council direct Administration establish a Bear Aware Technical Committee that will meet regularly, with membership including a City staff member whose operational focus is related to the Bear Smart Program and Bear awareness, and one member from each of the following stakeholders:

• Northern Bear Awareness Society,
• UNBC
• Lheidli T’enneh First Nation,
• BC Conservation Officer Service,
• Regional District of Fraser-Fort George,
• Wildlife Biologist from the Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship,
• Other City staff members as required.

Other recommendations the Committee made include:

• Actively participating in and supporting programs aimed at reducing bear attractants through initiatives such as bear-resistant garbage bins, fruit gleaning and harvest sharing, and public education,
• Adopt a new bylaw specific to wildlife attractants and solid waste,
• Consider amending Zoning Bylaw 7850, 2007 to permit electric fencing to secure wildlife attractants
• Include educational materials on human-bear interactions with the City’s utility bills for the spring and fall billing cycles, and continue incorporating bear awareness information on the garbage collection schedule, social media platforms and website.

These recommendations will be presented to City Council at Monday’s meeting.