A Kimberley resident wrote to City Council this week asking for the City to install ‘community garbage bins’, in light of the recent bear activity happening throughout the City.
Kelly Bellingham says that one of the issues attracting bears is human complacency.
“In recent years with the increased wildfire damage, we are seeing a lot more bears coming sooner, leaving later and becoming increasingly invasive. This is a safety concern but more importantly, devastating conservation management for the number of bears put down every year,” wrote Bellingham.
READ MORE: WildSafeBC finds garbage left out overnight, reminds residents to be bear aware
“Along with continued citizen education and improved conservation efforts, we need the City to install a handful of community bins strategically placed in the chronic areas around town so that we have options for disposal aside from having to store or freeze garbage indoors or make trips to the transfer station.”
Council discussed the letter at length, and called on Danica Roussy, Community Coordinator for WildSafeBC in Kimberley.
Councillor Kent Goodwin says that the City has looked into a ‘community bin’ system several times in the past.
“No one wants to be right beside one, and no one wants to be too far away. I think this can be part of the discussion with the organic infrastructure program,” he said. “I don’t know that this is the solution.”
Councillor Jason McBain says that the crux of the problem is human complacency.
“All it takes is one person putting their garbage out at midnight,” he said. “It’s always going to be difficult with human complacency. We have to abide by the guidelines that are set out for a reason.”
Councillor Sandra Roberts agreed, saying it’s about garbage control in general.
“It’s not just bears getting into garbage, think about the deer, the crows etc.,” she said.
Mayor Don McCormick recalled a time in Kimberley when garbage was placed on the curb with no bins at all.
“It was only a few years ago that we had [garbage] bags on the street. It’s only gotten better since. The community bins will only keep the bears out - the smell will still attract them.”
Roussy re-iterated most of the comments, saying that the best solution is to manage attractants in the first place.
“There are thousands of bears across B.C., we co-exist with all wildlife. At this time of year bears are using their noses. It’s not just garbage attracting them to the community, bird feeders and dirty barbecues are also big attractants,” she explained.
Roussy adds that two bears have been destroyed in the area this year by Conservation Officers, compared to 60 in 1998.
READ MORE: Bears active in Kimberley
McBain says that the transfer station is always an option for those who cannot store or don’t want to freeze their garbage.
“The transfer station is free. I’ve lived in many cities where you have to pay to dump your household garbage. It’s not too far away, and there’s always someone who’s willing to help out if you don’t have the means. It comes down to responsibility,” he said.
City CAO Scott Sommerville explained that Stratas have the ability to arrange for commercial pickup.
He adds that the City does have animal-resistant bins available, however they are not intended for bears. WildSafeBC, he says, will soon be providing the City with WildSafe certified bear-resistant bins, which will likely be reserved for high-risk areas.
Sommerville quoted Mayor John Barrowman of Canmore, a City that has bear-resistant community bins implemented.
“You can have bear-resistant bins, education programs, wildlife corridors, but you still have to make sure you get the message across that you can’t leave garbage outside,” Barrowman said in May, after a food-conditioned black bear was euthanized. “Sadly it just takes one person leaving their garbage on the front steps for five minutes. They don’t realize the repercussions are so extreme and it results in bears being shot.”
“It’s not the system, not the can, it’s the person who is not being responsible for the garbage that creates the issue,” said Sommerville.
corey.bullock@kimberleybulletin.com
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