Strict garbage bylaws may help reduce number of bears roaming city

The city of Sudbury says the public has a responsibility to tackle the city's bear problem by properly dealing with their garbage but some observers say having strict city garbage rules will help.

Ten years ago Jim Johnston lobbied his city of Elliot Lake to create and enforce strict bylaws around garbage collection to reduce luring the bears into cities.

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"Garbage can only be put out after 6 a.m. on the day of pickup," he said.

"It has to be contained in a garbage can. It even addresses commercial establishments and their dumpsters."

After just one year with the new rules in place, Johnston said the number of bear calls dropped from 500 to 200.

"We had a dramatic reduction in bear problems in the city."

Sudbury's current bylaw prevents garbage from going to the curb before 7 p.m. the night before pickup.

The city says a night-time garbage ban isn't something it's considering.

The city councillor for the area where a black bear was recently shot and killed, said he's not sure how a similar by-law could be enforced here.

"It would require additional staff or a change in staffing hours, or even overtime," said New Sudbury's Al Sizer.

"And we just don't have the resources to do that."

Sizer says if the situation continues, he might consider bringing a bylaw forward.

"And hopefully that type of thing will be followed."

In the interim, the city, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and Sudbury Police are asking people not to put out their garbage the night before pick-up.