The Township of Minden Hills is bear country and bears love garbage. With careful management of your waste, you can reduce the chance of attracting bears to your property.

You are in Bear Country

Minden Hills is bear country and bears love garbage. With careful management of your waste, you can reduce the chance of attracting bears to your property: Do not stockpile garbage. Take it to the landfill frequently. Keep meat scraps and cooked food waste in the freezer until you are ready to take it to the landfill. Store garbage in a bear-resistant container, secure shed or garage. Never put meat, bones, fish or dairy products in a compost bin.

Bear wise information sheets

Bears are often attracted to garbage and food on our properties. Find out how to limit bear encounters by following these Bear Wise tips and tools.

Bear encounters

Not every bear sighting is an emergency situation. Here is who to call if you encounter a bear.

Non-Emergency Encounters

Call the Bear Wise reporting line if a bear:

• Roams around or checks garbage cans
• Breaks into a shed where garbage or food is stored
• Is in a tree
• Pulls down a bird feeder or knocks over a barbeque
• Moves through a backyard or field but does not linger

This line operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from April 1 to November 30.

Emergency situation

Call 9-1-1 if a bear is creating immediate danger to personal safety and/or displaying threatening or aggressive behaviour such as:

• Stalks people and lingers at the site
• Enters or tries to enter a house or cottage
• Kills livestock or pets and lingers at the site

For more information on bears and the Bear Wise Program, visit the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (OMNRF) Bear Wise Website.