Nuisance Bears Info & Reporting

Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Updates on Nuisance Bears

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) strongly suggest to report any bear sightings. The MNRF have a Bear Wise Reporting hotline (1-866-514-2327) implemented, and residents are encouraged to call as often as necessary to report nuisance bears. In recent years there have been some adjustments to the management of nuisance bears. The provincial Bear Wise program offers some advice on what to do if you encounter a bear. If the bear is behaving ill tempered or causing destruction to your property please contact 911 for immediate assistance.


MPP John Vanthof Launches

In addition to the MNRF hotline, MPP John Vanthof has successfully launched a website for the general public to report nuisance bears. For long bears and humans have coexisted together; however, the escalation in bears being destructive has posed very serious concerns.

Bears have been regularly observed within our community this year, walking down the street, crossing at the playgrounds or in our own back yards. MPP John Vanthof quotes: "It is not reasonable that people living in built-up areas should experience this degree of risk on a regular basis"

We encourage residents of our local community to click on the Nuisance Bear reporting link below, also to continue contacting the MNRF Bear Wise Reporting program.





Black Bears

Bears are very intelligent. When there is no food source, they will continuously search for food, travel great distances, and wander sometimes into communities. Bears are also very maternal if they feel their cubs are threatened, they will protect their young.

Please remember to keep garbage in well secured bins. Pet food, bird feeders, grease, any food residue left on barbecue grills, composters, fruit trees, and sweet corn, are examples of common food sources. Once a food source has been found by the bears they will continue to come into our community.

This year the food crops were late, and the potential for human-bear interaction had increased. Bears become comfortable with humans and lose their fear, through repeated exposure to sites such as our landfills. Our landfills provide a constant food source for the bears.

Another tip is bears will associate human residences and campsites as a natural food source. Most issues with bears are due to the fact, that the household garbage is so readily available and accessible. They will continue to return for food. We must keep all food sources away so that there is nothing for the bears to eat in residential areas, so eventually they will travel in search of other food.

Do not purposely interact with bears. Bears might look adorable and cute; however, they are still wildlife and should be treated as dangerous animals. Bears are not normally vicious, but if threatened will defend themselves.

Bears hibernate for roughly six months without food or water. So when they awake from hibernation they're more aggressive in their search for food. Bears will eat from mid-April to late fall that is they eat for 20 hours a day, ingesting approximately 20,000 calories. They don't just like fish, their main source is plant based materials. Fun fact is that bears will double their actual weight during the summer and fall to survive hibernation.

