It’s the fall hyperphagia stage for bears, which means they’re bulking up for winter, cautions the District of North Vancouver. Be prepared for increased activity as bears search for extra calories to gain weight.
Properly managing organic waste, garbage, and other attractants on your property is the best way to prevent bears from becoming reliant on human food sources and risk being destroyed.
Tips to help stop attracting bears to your neighbourhood include:
Freeze smelly food scraps before adding them to your green cart
Layer food scraps with yard trimmings
Rinse carts to help prevent odour build-up
Manage attractants on your property, like bird feeders
Pick almost-ripe fruit from any fruit trees on your property
Keep carts in a secure location such as a garage or shed, and place carts outside between 5:30am – 7:30am on collection day
In response to bear activity in our community, the District made changes to its Solid Waste Bylaw in 2020 to help further minimize attractants for local wildlife, especially bears.
Carts set out at the curb before 5:30 am – including the night before – are now subject to a $100 fine for the first offence and $500 for repeat offences.
Guidelines for setting out the containers
Place your carts and containers at the curb between 5:30 am and 7:30 am on your collection day
Set them side by side in a straight line, making sure your recycling is set apart from the carts
Place your yellow bag beside, not inside, the blue box or grey box
Unlock the metal clips from your carts and attach them to the lid handles before collection
