Photo by Dave Bakker / Northern Bear Awareness Society
By Nicole Botten, President of the Northern Bear Awareness Society
Welcome to Prince George, the deadliest city of black bears in British Columbia. Since 1994, between 12 and 85 bears per year are killed in Prince George (an average of 40 per year). Last year saw an increase in sighting reports across the city, and 81 bears killed(*) by the BC Conservation Officer Service (BC COS).
Prince George is Bear Country
There are no answers as to why there was an increase in sightings in 2023, but much speculation about factors like habitat loss due to wildfires, and a drought resulting in poor berry crops in some areas.
While it’s true that more black bears are killed in Prince George than in any other part of the province, it’s not due to a lack of caring citizens.
As the largest city in the northern half of the province, Prince George is known as the Northern Capital of British Columbia. People who call Prince George home generally have an appreciation for the incredible wilderness surrounding our community; it’s understood that we share our spaces with all sorts of wildlife – including grizzly bears and black bears. While it’s true that more black bears are killed in Prince George than in any other part of the province, it’s not due to a lack of caring citizens.
Prince George is situated at the confluence of the Nechako and Fraser rivers. These rivers, and the riparian zones along them, make it easy for wildlife to access nearby neighbourhoods. Our much-loved greenbelts, parks, and other greenspaces throughout the city also function as wildlife corridors for bears that follow their noses in a never-ending search for food. In short, Prince George is bear habitat.
Bears who begin accessing garbage or other unnatural food sources become at risk of being killed by the BC COS. The key to preventing negative encounters between people and bears is, of course, eliminating the attractants that bring (and can keep) bears closer to people.
Most residents in neighbourhoods bear frequent are accustomed to being vigilant about managing attractants. Unfortunately, there are some who do not see the importance of preventing bears from accessing unnatural food sources, and some newcomers to the city don’t learn the importance of the lesson until after a bear gets into their garbage.
Photo by Lauren Harding / Northern Bear Awareness Society
Making a Difference
In 1998 a group of concerned citizens that included outdoor enthusiasts, wildlife biologists, hunters, and conservation officers got together and created the Northern Bear Awareness Society (NBAS). From the beginning, the group worked closely with local government to encourage fulfillment of Bear Smart criteria outlined by the provincial government. One of their early achievements was to hire a Registered Professional Biologist specializing in bears to conduct a Bear Hazard Assessment (2008) and to create a Human-Bear Conflict Prevention Management Plan (2009) for the community. Over the years, NBAS and the City of Prince George have made progress including signage posted in high bear-use neighbourhoods, parks and trailheads, the installation of bear-resistant garbage cans in all city parks, and the adoption of two Bear Smart bylaws.
For the past 25 years, the NBAS has been running a public education program that includes free interactive presentations to elementary schools and community groups, a display booth at public events, and informative brochures delivered to homes. The society also developed and runs a Fruit Exchange program and other initiatives to find uses for unwanted tree fruits that otherwise attract bears. This includes a partnership with the Northern Lights Estate Winery, and a special edition apple wine with the NBAS logo on it. NBAS is a small but strong non-profit society, hiring summer students to help get jobs done, but relying on many hours of volunteer dedication to accomplish our goals.
Photo by the Northern Bear Awareness Society
Current Initiatives
Following a deadly summer and with additional eyes on the need and importance of securing bear attractants, NBAS realized the time was ripe to make a case for the purchase of bear-resistant garbage carts. As not everyone is prioritizing reducing and securing garbage, having easy to use and effective carts is key.
Garbage carts tested and approved by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee have been recommended by NBAS since the Hazard Assessment report indicated the need for them in 2008. The City purchased 300 of these carts in 2019 for testing in a small neighbourhood, but decided to discontinue their use. In September 2023, NBAS started a petition to garner public support for the use of tax dollars to equip residents with bear-resistant garbage carts. Last month, two NBAS board members delivered a presentation to City council, highlighting accumulated evidence that Prince George is a perfect candidate community for these carts.
Coincidentally, two weeks before the scheduled presentation, City council decided to form an Advisory Committee on Bear Awareness, composed of representatives from NBAS, City staff, the COS, the local Regional District, and the general public. NBAS hopes that City council will see the value and importance of investing in much-needed bear-resistant garbage carts in key areas of the city, possibly as part of an opt-out or opt-in program. With a four-month term and the first meeting set for early July, NBAS anticipates that the City will be equipped to take action by November, and that new initiatives could be in place by the time bears return in March.
Relying on the public to take responsibility, while economical and ideal, is no longer enough. The stage has been set: Prince George residents are as diligent as they will ever be, and it is time to take the final step towards ensuring that garbage is secured throughout high bear-use areas of Prince George. This change is expected to make a huge difference in the levels of human-bear conflict in Prince George – perhaps we will even give up our title as BC’s deadliest city for black bears!
Learn More
Learn more about the Northern Bear Awareness Society online, or email for more information on specific projects or to find out how you can help. Follow us on Facebook to show your support and to keep in the loop. Sign our online petition if you agree that bear-resistant garbage cans are the best option for Prince George.
Website: www.NorthernBearAwareness.com
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NorthernBearAwarerness
Petition: https://www.change.org/p/city-of-prince-george-needs-bear-resistant-garbage-bins
May 27, 2024 – Presentation to City Council (PDF) – https://pub-princegeorge.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=25871
* NOTE: Discrepancy in data may be due to how the specific data was requested and is under review by The Fur-Bearers. Read more by clicking here.
