
Laurentian Valley, ON (May 7th, 2018): The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources recently notified the Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre that there has been recent reports of bear activity in populated areas as they search for food sources. This typically leads bears to foraging for food in garbage cans or green carts.
The important thing for residents to remember is, if there is no food source on your property, a bear will not stay long and will not likely return.
You can reduce the possibility of a bear visiting your property by:
- Storing all household waste bins (garbage, recycling and green cart) in an area that is not accessible to bears; like a garage or shed.
- Freezing odorous food waste and placing it out in the green cart on the morning of your collection day.
- Wrapping food waste well in newspaper or paper bags to absorb moisture and reduce odours in your green cart.
- Using lime in your green cart to help reduce odours or layer with dried yard waste.
- Rinsing all waste bins with a mild detergent thoroughly after each collection.
- Keep BBQ grills clean and free of grease.
If you see a bear, follow these rules and share them with your children:
- Avoid contact with bears
- Do not approach a bear if you see one, even a small cub.
- If you see a bear, do not run, back away slowly.
- If you need to report a nuisance bear (non-emergency), please call the Ontario Bear Wise reporting line at 1-866-514-2327.
- In an immediate emergency call your local police or 911.
For more information on the Centre’s programs visit www.ovwrc.com. Additional information on Ontario’s Bear Wise program can be found at www.ontario.ca/page/prevent-bear-encounters-bear-wise.