Elk Valley residents are being reminded to keep their garbage secure after an increasing amount of bear run-ins have been reported.
“We had a number of bears accessing garbage and other unsecured attractants, all the way from Fernie down to the South Country,” said Andrea Fletcher, WildSafeBC Elk Valley coordinator. “Unfortunately, we’ve had to destroy two bears in Fernie due to them becoming food-conditioned and human habituated, and that’s on us.”
Fletcher said Fernie’s residential garbage bins are not bear-resistant.
“We’re having people putting garbage in their bins and leaving them outside their homes all week, people are putting bins out early for collection day. Bears are getting into those bins fairly easily,” said Fletcher. “I’m also seeing a lot of problems with commercial dumpsters. I’m seeing a lot of the old style with the plastic lids.
Fletcher said businesses can try to get their bins replaced with bear-resistant bins and make sure they are locked to prevent the animals from getting in.
Residents are asked to keep their garbage secured inside until collection day or take it to the transfer station.