Living in Harmony: Caring for Nelson, Our Neighbours and Our Wildlife

Caring for Nelson means caring for our neighbours, our wildlife and the natural spaces we share.

After guidance from Katie Graves of the Ursa Project (opens in a new tab), and some deep reflection and research, I believe two practical actions deserve more immediate attention, and one needs only more communication and promotion.

Bear-resistant garbage bin options for every household

Keeping garbage away from bears needs to be something everyone can realistically do. We have a nearby example to learn from. Castlegar achieved Bear Smart status in 2021 through an approach that includes bear-resistant residential garbage bins, communal dumpsters in high-conflict areas, education and coordinated bylaw enforcement. Adding an approach like this to our current Foodcycle program and curbside garbage pickup could prove very effective.

I’d like to see Nelson look at a city-wide approach, starting with what we can learn from Castlegar. We need to know what it would cost to buy the bins, collect the garbage, and keep them in good repair. If the City can’t cover the full cost for every household, we still need to ensure everyone can participate. Shared bear-resistant bins could help people who don’t have room to store garbage safely at home. If I am at the council table, this would be a priority for me when discussing budget allocations and prospective grant opportunities.

The City can start now by making sure garbage and other bear attractants are properly managed on its own properties and working with the School District to ensure the same on school grounds.

People need information and practical help, but the rules also need consistent enforcement. I would support fines for repeat bylaw violations.

Adjusting expectations/rules for garbage day pickup

I’m in favour of changing the rule for garbage placement and launching a communications blitz that reminds residents to place their full garbage bags in standing garbage bins on garbage day, adding another layer of deterrence for bears and other wildlife while the city crews are actively collecting, as an early priority for the new Council and Mayor.

I support requiring garbage to be put out in a bin, along with a clear education campaign so residents know what’s expected and have time to adjust.

This is a practical step we can take while working toward bear-resistant bins for every household. Ordinary bins won’t stop a determined bear, but leaving bags exposed at the curb makes garbage too easy to get into. We also need to help anyone who has difficulty buying or handling a bin so they can follow the rules.

A better coordinated approach to unpicked fruit

This is more complicated: trees need care, harvesting takes time, and people may need help managing fruit on their properties. But it also creates an opportunity to connect bear-attractant reduction with food access.

I’d like to talk with residents, local food organizations, wildlife advocates and City staff about what’s already happening and where people could use some help. Maybe that means creating a simple website where volunteers can sign up to pick fruit and help people who can’t manage their trees, or partnering with an already established community group to better coordinate harvests and share extra fruit with groups that can use it or preserve it.

Education matters, but people also need practical tools and support to act on it.

These are the kinds of community problems I want to work on: listen to the people involved, understand the barriers, identify achievable steps, and track whether those steps are making a difference. That means looking at costs over time and whether bears are actually getting into less garbage.

For the Nelson We Love. For the Future We Share.

Also from Jess: Heart, Care and the Business of City Hall