Did you know?

Garbage is the number one attractant cited when reporting a bear sighting. (From the Sunshine Coast Bear Alliance website)

Twenty-two bears were euthanized on the Sunshine Coast between April 2019 and January 2020, as the animals became habituated to grazing from garbage cans, fruit trees, and other attractants.

Wildlife Bylaw

In 2021, in order to help limit conflicts between bears and humans in our community, the Town of Gibsons introduce the Wildlife Bylaw 1294.

The new bylaw regulates attractants unrelated to refuse collection, including bird feeders, fruit and nut trees, composts, barbecue equipment and tools, beehives, grease, refrigerators and freezers, chickens, home food delivery, and feeding wildlife.

Wildlife Attractant BYLAW No. 1294, 2021

Town of Gibsons Bylaw Complaint Form

 

Bylaw Enforcement

The bylaw provides the Town’s Bylaw Enforcement Officer with the ability to fine people who consistently fail to take the steps required to eliminate wildlife attractants (i.e. removing food sources from easy access by bears and other animals), thereby putting wildlife at risk of being euthanized. See Bylaw 1125-12 Bylaw Notice Enforcement and schedule of related penalties here.

General Regulations of the Bylaw

1. A person must not cause or allow any refuse that is a wildlife attractant to be stored, deposited or placed on any parcel or highway within the Town in such a manner that it is accessible to wildlife.
2. A person must not store, deposit or place outdoors any refuse that is a wildlife attractant except in a wildlife resistant container or enclosure in accordance with
    Garbage and Organics Collection and Disposal Bylaw No. 1252, 2018.
3.  Any person responsible for a site that is used for active construction, a special event, a catered event or filming is exempt from sections 3.1 and 3.2 but must ensure that any wildlife attractants are disposed of in a designated wildlife resistant container or wildlife resistant enclosure at the end of the event each day.
4. A person must not feed wildlife, except for birds away from roadways and sidewalks.
5. Every owner or occupier of real property must ensure that:

• any fruit or nuts from a tree, bush or shrub on a parcel is maintained and stored in such a manner so as not to attract wildlife;
• any composting activity is carried out and any composting device or equipment is maintained in such a manner so as not to attract wildlife;
• barbecue equipment and tools that remain out of doors must be clean and free of residual food or grease;
• no refrigerator, freezer, storage container or similar appliance, device or apparatus that contains wildlife attractants of any type shall be located outside;
• any grease or petroleum product is stored in such a manner that it is inaccessible to wildlife;
• no poultry or beehives are to be kept on the property as per Zoning Bylaw 1065;
• any home delivery items that are left outdoors are stored in such a manner so as to not attract wildlife

Questions? Contact us at:

604.886.2274 / info@gibsons.ca