Bear Awareness

The North Shore mountains are prime black bear habitat, and from spring until late fall many bears move down into urban neighbourhoods in search of food. While most of the bear activity is in the upper portions of the Districts of North and West Vancouver, on occasion some bears do move down into the City of North Vancouver through our forested ravines.

The City of North Vancouver is a member of the North Shore Black Bear Network (NSBBN), which is partnership between the North Shore municipalities, the Province of BC, and many dedicated and hardworking volunteers. The Network provides a coordinated approach to managing human / bear encounters with a central contact point for reporting bear sightings.

The North Shore Bears and Bear Smart Society websites provide valuable information on preventing bear encounters and ways of "bear-proofing" your property. North Shore Bears also provides updated maps of local bear activity.

Bears are attracted by the smell of food, which in urban areas can be from garbage, compost, bird feeders or fruit. Wherever possible store all garbage in your house or in a locked steel container, and pick all fruit as it ripens. Please refer to the North Shore Bears website for more information.

Residents are also reminded that the City's Solid Waste Management Service Bylaw 6920, 1997 requires that all garbage be safely stored so that it is not accessible by wildlife, and that garbage cans should only be brought to the curb on the morning of your designated garbage pick up day (before 7:30AM). A copy of the garbage collection schedule is available here.

Resources and Contacts

If you see a bear in your neighbourhood, please report the sighting to the North Shore Bear Hotline: 604-990-BEAR (2327) or use the online reporting form at http://www.northshorebears.com

If a bear is acting in a threatening manner and you require EMERGENCY assistance, please call the Provincial Call Centre at 1-800-663-9453.