Northern Bear Awareness Society ask city to purchase bear-resistant bins

The only hitch is the estimated cost of $7 million dollars to replace the city’s 25,000 automated garbage cans, which the city said would be equal to a 5.8 per cent tax increase. (Councillor Brian Skakun said that the $7 million estimate was at least a few years old at the meeting, noting that it could be higher today).

In response to that, the Northern Bear Awareness Society said it would work with the City to choose areas in the city where bear-resistant carts should go.They said the City could start with key areas and work from there.

The Society also said that education campaigns on the importance of securing attractants has not received buy-in from all citizens in Prince George, saying that last year 81 bears had to be put down by the Conservation Officer Service – a number Mayor Simon Yu felt was “unacceptable.”

Following the presentation, the terms of reference for the Advisory Committee on Bear Awareness were unanimously approved.

The Committee will meet for up to four months to research and form recommendations to council regarding opportunities to increase bear-proofing and reduce bear attractants.

The goal is to have the Committee up and running by July and to provide recommendations to City Council once the committee’s work wraps up.

by Greg Fry

Northern Bear Awareness Society ask city to purchase bear-resistant bins

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