VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Canada – The Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) passed a resolution today calling on the Province of BC to reactivate its Bear Smart Community Program – a program that assists communities and wildlife management agencies in reducing conflicts with bears. The resolution passed unanimously and signals that wildlife conflict is a province-wide local-government concern, and the B.C. Government needs to commit to the program in its provincial budget.
Hundreds of bears are destroyed each year in B.C. because of conflicts with people. Most conflicts begin when people give bears access to non-natural food, like garbage, fruit trees or livestock. To prevent conflict, communities need the tools – such as bear-resistant waste bins, electric fencing, and educational resources for residents and visitors.
The resolution put forward by the city of Port Moody explains that the responsibility to manage human-bear conflicts starts with all stakeholders and requires participation from the B.C. government, municipal governments and local citizens to be successful.
“This request demands a prevention-first approach to address the root causes of conflict and for assurance that communities will have proper support, especially amidst a particularly active time in the fall for human-bear incidents,” says Nadine Raynolds, Director of the Communities and Conservation program at Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y). “The Province needs to improve safety for people and wildlife and reinstate this program which is highly recognized across North American for its cost-effective, cooperative and preventative approach.”
“This request demands a prevention-first approach to address the root causes of conflict and for assurance that communities will have proper support, especially amidst a particularly active time in the fall for human-bear incidents,” says Nadine Raynolds, Director of the Communities and Conservation program at Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y). “The Province needs to improve safety for people and wildlife and reinstate this program which is highly recognized across North American for its cost-effective, cooperative and preventative approach.”
The Bear Smart Community Program was initiated by the Province in 2004 in partnership with the British Columbia Conservation Foundation and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. The program has evolved over time and provides guidance and best practices, combined with incentives for community participation. The program was paused earlier this year, with no relaunch date.
Reinstating dedicated provincial staff is a practical, low-cost step. Provincial coordination enables local governments, community groups, businesses and partners to sustain momentum and implement locally appropriate measures that prevent conflict before it occurs.
“As B.C. advances recreation and tourism under its Look West strategy and economic plan, human-wildlife coexistence is essential to protect visitors’ experience and create confidence and safety in rural and recreation-oriented communities,” adds Raynolds.
“Pausing the Bear Smart Program leaves communities to manage rising pressures without a clear provincial framework, dedicated coordination, or a path to recognition,” says Bert Schalekamp, Councillor with the District of Elkford and member of their Wildlife Committee. “We are on the path to being a Bear Smart community – public education, municipal bylaws, creating a bare smart campground and our evolving waste management system are having important positive results.”
Elkford sits in the Elk Valley where there is an abundance of bears, but unusually intense human pressures and bear mortality – with some of the highest rates of human-bear conflict in the province.
In May this year, local government officials from the Elk Valley and nearby Crowsnest Pass gathered to explore solutions, particularly related to waste management. Y2Y facilitated the session, bringing in expertise from the Town of Canmore who has designed their municipal systems to be bear proof.
The Village of New Denver, one of 12 B.C. communities who has attained Bear Smart status, submitted a similar resolution through the Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Governments, also asking for reactivation of the Bear Smart program with dedicated staff and funding for its coordination and expansion.
Proactively investing in prevention programs and supporting communities with solutions is the foundation for long-term human-bear conflict reduction. Reinstating essential programs and ensuring funding commitments is part of the province’s stewardship responsibility – ensuring safety for people and safe passage for wildlife.
Photos of before and after bear proof dumpster efforts in Elkford, B.C.
photo credits: Tracey Halladay & Nadine Raynolds
