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Burnaby creates 'bear area', adds strict rules for handling your bins

The City of Burnaby announced this week changes to its Solid Waste & Recycling Bylaw to “reduce the risk of resident-bear interaction on collection day.” This means changes to how Burnaby residents handle their bins.
Chris Campbell
Garbage bears
This isn't the bear that was killed on Burnaby Mountain. But it's an example of what happens when people are careless. It's up to residents to make sure nothing is left outside for bears to get into. But the sad fact is, it just takes one or two homeowners or a single business to forget to close a door, lock up a waste cart or an industrial waste bin for the problem to begin.

The City of Burnaby announced this week changes to its Solid Waste & Recycling Bylaw to “reduce the risk of resident-bear interaction on collection day.”

This means changes to how Burnaby residents handle their bins.

The city has designated a “Bear Area,” located between Sperling Avenue to the west, North Road to the east, Trans-Canada Highway to the south and Burrard Inlet to the north. 

bear area burnaby
This is the new bear area in Burnaby. City of Burnaby graphic

“In the Bear Area, residents must place their bins on the curb after 5:30 a.m. on collection day,” the city said in a news release.

In addition, multi-family properties will also be required to store garbage, green waste and recyclable material in a bear-resistant enclosure. Also, all Burnaby residents are now required to remove their bins by 8 p.m. on collection day.

“These changes are important and will benefit all Burnaby residents and businesses as they aim to minimize human-bear interactions as well as reduce littering and illegal dumping,” says the city.