Hefty fines are being handed out to people who put out their trash too early in a southwest Coquitlam neighbourhood as the city tries to cut down on bear attractants.
Residents in the area off Clarke Road say they have seen several violation stickers on trash bins.
They could face a total fine of $500.
Coverage of bears on Globalnews.ca:
Area resident Kerensa Grant didn’t receive a ticket, but her neighbour did.
“It’s insane, ridiculous, they should have had a warning,” she said.
Other neighbours call the fines a cash grab.
So far this year, Coquitlam has given out 1,256 warnings and issued 62 fines.
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They added that this year, they’ve received less bear-human conflict calls in comparison to the same time last year.
Julie Kanya is the Urban Wildlife Coordinator for the City of Coquitlam. The thought is the fines and public outreach education have made a difference.
“It is a public safety issue and a wildlife safety issue,” she said. “And the fine amount reflects that and we want people to take these bylaws seriously.”
Already this year, four bears have been put down in Coquitlam. That’s a number the city hopes to reduce even further by enforcing the $500 fines.
Residents who have received violation stickers can call the city at 604-927-3500 if they want to discuss the fines. Residents who want more information can visit the city’s website.