The Lobird neighbourhood in Whitehorse is hoping to change its status as a perennial hotspot for bear encounters.

The Grizzly Bear Protection Yukon Society has stepped in to help out the neighbourhood.

“We are very happy to announce that Lobird Estates received their five commercial bear-proof waste bins on July 30,” the society said.

“It has been a long process to make this happen, and we are very pleased that Lobird’s residents are now provided with the necessary tools to not only become ‘bear smart,’ but to reduce raven, fox and other wildlife from rummaging through unmanaged garbage.”

The society said it has decided to engage in this project due to the high number of bear mortalities occurring each year – “a direct result of unsecured garbage and other attractants. 

“Many bear mortalities go unreported, making numbers higher. Human-bear conflicts are avoidable. Without bear-proof garbage disposal and public education and an increasing human population, including those who visit the territory, these mortality rates are likely to increase.”

Public outcry ensued when several bears feeding from an open Lobird dumpster were destroyed a couple of years ago.

The society applied to the Community Development Fund (CDF) in April. It received $15,732 (77 per cent of the total cost for the bins, including delivery to Lobird). Lobird Estates covered the cost for the remaining 23 per cent. 

It’s a pilot project which will end in December 2025, monitored by the society, the Department of Environment (Conservation Services), Lobird management and residents. Regular progress reports will be filed with the CDF and updates will be provided on the society’s website.

In a prepared statement, the society wrote “we expect this project to demonstrate that bear-proof bins work! Bears will no longer be attracted to easily-accessible garbage and will be safer to wander through the community without “becoming residents,” causing public safety issues and subsequently being unnecessarily destroyed. We anticipate that it will be a ‘win-win’ for all involved!”

The society added, “we urge the City of Whitehorse to begin implementing additional wildlife-proof waste management systems within the city and the rural communities within city limits. We urge the Yukon government to encourage existing waste management companies to supply bear-proof commercial bins and pick up to areas outside city limits; including financial assistance, if necessary. This proactive approach will prove to be far less costly as compared to dispatching conservation officers and their equipment each time they receive a report of human-bear conflict.”