Bear Wise Communities

Many Ontario communities are participating in the Bear Wise Program. They are working to improve safety by denying bears access to things like garbage.

Some things communities are doing:

• Identifying problem areas and implementing plans to address them.
• Installing bear-resistant containers at landfills, transfer stations and in parks and recreational areas.
• Improving landfills to keep bears and people away.
• Including black bear information in mailings to residents.
• Implementing and enforcing residential garbage by-laws.

Involved communities are gradually realizing that this new approach can and does work. They are beginning to make the connection that bears are drawn into towns by such things as garbage and food left out for birds and other animals.

By implementing a local Bear Wise Program you can:

• Address human-bear conflict over the long-term
• Reduce complaints about bear activity locally
• Save money and time responding to calls
• Improve safety
• Reap spin-off benefits like a cleaner community overall

Communities are growing. More and more, human activity is encroaching on bear habitat. If we act now, we can stop needless interactions and conflicts between bears and people.

Become a Bear Wise Community. We are here to help you get started. For more information, contact your local Ministry of Natural Resources Office.

IN AN IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY:
contact your local police force or dial 911

TO REPORT BEAR PROBLEMS: contact the Bear Reporting Line at:
1-866-514-BEAR (2327)  (TTY) 705 945-7641