Leave your garbage bin out in Castlegar took early and you will risk getting a sticker slapped on it starting next week.
WildSafeBC will be patrolling the city the night before garbage pickup, looking for any bins that might be a potential attractant for bears and other wildlife.
The city’s rules state that garbage bins can only be placed on the curb between 4 and 7 a.m. on the day of pickup.
“We’re trying to reduce the number of bears frequenting our neighbourhoods and accessing garbage inappropriately,” says WildSafe co-ordinator Tara Pejski.
“If we do see garbage cans we’re going to put a sticker on them for now that lets them know it is an attractant to wildlife and if it’s a recurring issue, it does run the risk of being ticketed by the bylaw officer.”
Fines of up to $200 can be issued.
Pejski says there are more bears in Castlegar than normal for this time of year. She says the city is in a natural wildlife corridor, so it’s inevitable that they will pass through, but they want them to keep going back to their natural habitat.
The stickers, which can be peeled off, are meant to be a “friendly reminder,” she says, and they would rather not have to use them at all.
“We don’t want to catch people. We hope we drive through neighbourhoods and it’s very uneventful.”
Pejski says the checks will occur frequently and “spontaneously” this year, but not necessarily with every pick-up.
Garbage is the most common bear attractant, she says. If you can’t keep your garbage secured indoors, it needs to be attached to something solid and free-standing like a tree or a post. Smelly garbage should be kept frozen until the night before pickup. Other common attractants include pet food, bird seed, and unpicked fruit.
Pejski says bears who grow comfortable in neighbourhoods where they can access unsecured garbage create a dangerous situation for people, private property, and are at risk of being destroyed by conservation officers.
In 2021, Castlegar officially became a Bear Smart community.
