With nuisance bears calls up, a Timmins councillor is questioning what can be done.
At the June 16 council meeting, Coun. John Curley brought up the number of bears in city limits.
“I thought the spring bear hunt when the provincial government brought it back it would definitely help, but these bears seem to be set in their ways of coming into the city limits. And some there’s not even a forest close by, yet they’re wandering all over,” he said.
Curley said it doesn't look like the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is stepping up to deal with the bear situation.
“Sooner or later something might happen,” he said.
Timmins Police Chief John Gauthier said officers responded to 10 bear calls Monday alone.
Since the beginning of June there has been 50 calls, with a total of 113 calls since April.
In past years, Gauthier said the annual bear calls to police are:
• 2015 - 498
• 2016 - 240
• 2017 - 243
• 2018 - 402
• 2019 - 83
Some areas of concern from Monday's calls, said Gauthier, were Railway Street, Northern College residence and the trail near the new wastewater treatment plant, Pine Street South, Gillies Lake in the afternoon when there was a lot of people out, Patricia, Dixon and Daniel. On Vipond Road near the overpass, he said someone was charged by a large bear.
At Hersey Lake this year, a trap was set up and people were asked to use other trail systems after reports of an aggressive bear.
If a bear poses an immediate threat to public safety or is displaying menacing or aggressive behaviour, people should call police.
Incidents with bears should also be reported to Bear Wise at 1-866-514-2327.
A report on the situation is expected at an upcoming meeting.
