Calls for animal-proof waste bins as bears wake from hibernation

A mother and daughter's efforts to improve garbage management and mitigate bear interactionsin their Vancouver Island communityis gaining traction as bears begin their sleepy emergence from hibernation.

Andrea Miller and her 16-year-old daughter, Alaina, have been calling on homeowners in View Royal a suburb of Victoria to better secure their garbage binsfollowing the death of a mother black bear in their community last June.

"It was a really devastating day," Alaina told CBC's All Points West last week.

After numerous reports of the bear accessing "attractants" like food and garbage from insecure bins, the animal was shot by conservation officers in the Thetis Lake Regional Park area, leaving three orphaned cubs.

Andrea saysthe neighbourhood frequently experiences wildlife interactions, as many homes border the park and lack protective fencing.

A new measure from the town of View Royal aims to help prevent other bears from facing the same fate.

Last week,council passed a motion to set aside $5,000 for a pilot project that aims toprovide bear-proof bins for some residents in the neighbourhood and educate people to leave garbage in secure closures such as sheds and garages.

"It's a step in the right direction and I couldn't be more pleased," said Andrea, who along with fellow neighbourMelanie Austin, submitted a proposal to council for bear-proof bins.

"I would have loved if they would have done it for the whole town."

A report by municipal staff, however, says a full-scale adoption of bear-resistant bins would escalate View Royal's solid waste budget.

The bins, which have two latches on the top secured by carabiners, costnearly $300 before taxes compared to the $140garbage cans currently in place,town engineering director Ivan Leungsaid during last week's council meeting.

The staff reportsuggests initiating a phased approach, beginning with community awareness on proper garbage and attractant storage during peak bear season.

Update on 3 orphaned cubs

Alainahas created a memorial in the forest for the deceased mother bear, whoshe named "Mama." The memorial includes photos, flowers and poems penned bythe 16-year-old.

"It was really sad,seeing those poor cubs," Alaina said.

The three orphaned cubs were transferred to the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centrefollowing their mother's death.

There, they have thrived, displaying typical bear behaviours, says the centre'sanimal-care supervisor Derek Downes.

"They're fantastic and doing really great," he said in an interview with CBC's All Points West.

"They were about 25-30 pounds when they came in and right now they're all in excess of 100 pounds."

Downes says the cubs will be released back into the wild this spring.

Cleaning up attractants

According to the Fur-Bearers, a wildlife advocacy group, theB.C. Conservation Officer Service kills approximately 500 black bears every year.

The group's executive director, Lesley Fox, says the reason is mostly due to their reliance on garbage as a food source.

WATCH | Bears explore backyard playgrounds,empty dumpsters in Prince George:

Watch 2 minutes of bears being bears

1 year ago

Duration 2:08

Bears are out in full force in Prince George in northern B.C., eating berries, exploring backyard swing sets and being disappointed by empty garbage cans.

"We all love seeing wildlife visit our yards, but when they're drawn in by food sources, it can lead to behavioural changes that have significant consequences,"Fox said in a statement released Monday.

She says bears are more likely to cross busy streets and get closer to peoplewhen attractants like food scraps are available.

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service killed 603 black bears in 2023. Bears are killed at higher rates in northern B.C., with the Fur-Bearersnaming Prince George the deadliest communityfor bears in the province.

According to Northern Bear Awareness, 81 bears were killedin the city last year, which is more than twice the number of bears usually killed in a year.

In an email to CBC News, the B.C. Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship said unsecured waste bins andfallen fruitare the main reasonsbears risk entering residential areas.

Foxsays it's imperativepeople remove attractants that draw animals like bears andcoyotes closer to homes.

She recommends keeping pet food indoors, cleaning barbecue grills and grease trays after use, and securinggarbage binsuntil pickup day.

All Points West9:09View Royal residents near Thetis Lake Park to test bear-proof garbage bins

It's been almost a year since a mother bear was euthanized in View Royal and her three cubs were taken to a wildlife recovery centre. This week, View Royal council voted to offer bear-proof garbage bins to some residents near Thetis Lake Regional Park with the aim of preventing wildlife conflicts. Hear from a resident who pushed for the change.