Maple Ridge urges residents to remove bear attractants

The City of Maple Ridge is urging residents to secure garbage and other bear attractants as bear activity increases. The warning follows recent incidents, including the Aug. 9 mauling of a three-year-old girl by a black bear on the back deck of her home.

The Maple Ridge Black Bear Society said a recent tour near 240th Street and 120th Avenue found garbage and bins left outside when it was not collection day. The city says bears will travel farther and spend more time seeking high-calorie food as they prepare for hibernation.

Garbage, compost, pet food, bird feeders, fallen fruit and dirty barbecues can draw bears into residential areas. Residents are advised to store waste in wildlife-resistant containers or secure buildings, put carts out no earlier than 5 a.m. and remove them by 7 p.m. on collection day, clean barbecues and feed pets indoors.

The city's Wildlife and Vector Control Bylaw allows daily fines of $100 to $500 for contraventions. People should report public-safety wildlife encounters to the BC Conservation Officer Service at 1-877-952-7277. If they encounter a bear, the city advises residents to stay calm, not run, back away slowly and give the animal room to leave.