Bear Essentials

Numerous bear sightings reported around Southern Georgian Bay

Have an eye for bears around southern Georgian Bay. OPP say they’ve had 61 calls about bears since the Labour Day Weekend:

  • 34  related to bears eating food they found on residential properties
  • 17 bears had been struck by a motor vehicle
  • 10 were seen near roadways

Police say best prratice includes storing garbage in containers with tight-fitting lids, putting garbage out only on the morning of pick-up, cleaning barbecue grills after every use, removing ripe fruit that may have fallen to the ground from trees and making loud noises to scare bears away. The OPP will only respond to a problem bear call if there is an immediate threat to public safety. Otherwise, landowners should call the Bear Wise hotline – 1-866-514-2327 or visit the Bear Wise website to receive information on how to make their property less attractive to problem bears.