Taking out the trash is a messy situation for Keely Middleton.
Middleton, a resident of Falcon Lake, Man., says there’s a recurring problem in the community, located within Whiteshell Provincial Park — garbage strewn deep into the woods by marauding black bears.
“All of the cages are pushed in,” Middleton said. “The latches are mostly ripped off. You have some, but the bears know how to open these better than the people in town.
“(The bears) get so brave, they’ll just sit there and they don’t even notice you anymore.”
The situation, Middleton told Global Winnipeg, is as bad as ever, and it stems from the decision to introduce centralized garbage bins to Falcon Lake.
“We’ve grown up being taught to be bear smart. There’s signs all around the park saying don’t feed the wildlife — but when they put these bins here… they’re essentially a bait stand.”
Resident Ainsley Houndle says she’s concerned that the easily-accessible snacks for the bears mean they’re becoming more comfortable around humans, which could lead to dangerous interactions in future.
“We’ve watched them just open the lid, help themselves, close the lid, open the next one,” Houndle said.
“They can easily get into all of these bins, and we’re just habituating bears in the park.”
Houndle said the bins themselves border on a walking trail that is frequently used for hiking and cycling, and an unsuspecting person could find themselves face-to-face with a hungry bear.
“I think the fact that this is happening in a provincial park where we’re supposed to be coexisting with nature is quite shameful,” she said.
The current garbage setup, she said, was introduced only a few years ago, replacing a system of cages that were a combination of wood and wire and at least seemed to be more effective than the bins they have now.
“I can appreciate that they wanted to make a change… but I don’t really think the decision to change to these bins was done in consultation with people who have to do the job and are involved with the repeated cleanups out there.”
Shaun Harbottle with the local chamber of commerce agrees. He said the previous cages seemed effective for 50 years before the park switched to the new bins, and the community doesn’t feel like it was given much input on the change.
“I get it — you want to centralize garbage, but it has created a bit of a feeding frenzy for them, and it’s not the bears’ fault. The bear’s gonna go where the food is, and they’re getting ready for winter… and unfortunately, they can pretty brazen when they’re hungry.
“As a Chamber, we have heard those comments and concerns, and we have raised concerns about that back in June. They put some bear-proof latches on… but they’re plastic bins.
“You’re not going to stop Yogi Bear from having a picnic, are you? Especially when you give him a smorgasbord like that.”
In an emailed statement to Global News, a provincial spokesperson said Manitoba Parks takes bear safety very seriously.
“(Manitoba Parks) is aware of the waste collection issue in the south Whiteshell region and is proactively working toward operating solutions,” the spokesperson said.
“The province reminds parkgoers that bears become more active in the fall as they approach hibernation season and may seek out sources of food.”