If you’re not a fan of getting up by 7 a.m., you might have to appeal to your neighbour for help.
The Conservation Officer Service recently did a ‘bear attraction audit,’ because bears are having to be destroyed in communities where they’ve become habituated to people. As a result, the city will no longer be able to allow residents to put out curbside collection containers the night before pickup.
Mayor Alan Harrison explains that the city’s bylaw actually contravenes the provincial Wildlife Act, so has to be amended.
The Wildlife Act specifies that possible wildlife attractants such as garbage, food waste and recycling are not to be placed in areas where they are accessible and might attract wildlife to the premises.
To abide by Wildlife Act Section 33.1(2) Garbage/Food Waste will no longer be permitted at the curb the evening before your collection day. pic.twitter.com/YVmOt9rZn3
— City of Salmon Arm (@SalmonArmBC) October 23, 2019
The city asks that residents keep their containers securely stored in a house, garage or shed until the morning of collection day. They must be put out before 7 a.m. to ensure they’ll be picked up.
Salmon Arm’s current bylaw says collection containers can be set out the night before pickup after 8 p.m.
“We’ve been asked to adjust our bylaw,” said Harrison, adding that council hasn’t talked about it yet, but “we certainly don’t want to attract bears to our garbage in the evening and then have them destroyed.”
Read more: ‘Garbage-fed bears are dead bears’ – South Okanagan conservation officer
Read more: Grizzlies destroy bear-proof bin
@SalmonArm
marthawickett@saobserver.net
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