The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) remind you to exercise caution when it comes to bear sightings.
You can prevent bears from visiting your home and neighbourhood by:
- Storing garbage in waste containers with tight-fitting lids (indoors if possible)
- Waiting until the day of garbage pickup to put out garbage
- Putting away bird feeders (you can offer birds natural alternatives, such as flowers, nesting boxes and fresh water)
- Cleaning food residue and grease from outdoor barbecue grills after each use
- Keeping pet food indoors
Bears that enter your community are not necessarily a threat, but it is important to know who to call if you encounter a bear.
Non-Emergency Encounters
Call the toll-free Bear Wise reporting line at 1-866-514-2327 (TTY 705-945-7641) if a bear is:
- Moving through a backyard or field but is not lingering
- Roaming around the neighbourhood
- Checking garbage cans
- Breaking into a shed where garbage or food is stored
- Knocking over a barbecue
- Pulling down a bird feeder
- In a tree
This line operates 24-hours a day, seven days a week, from April 1 to November 30. Staff can provide advice about bear behaviour, how to avoid human-bear interactions and how to manage attractants on your property.
Emergency Situations
Call 911 or your local police force if a bear poses an immediate threat to personal safety. Some threatening or aggressive behaviours include:
- Entering a school yard when school is in session
- Stalking people and lingering on-site
- Entering or trying to enter a residence
- Wandering into a public gathering
- Killing livestock/pets and lingering on site.
Police are first responders for any emergency situation. If requested by police, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry may respond to emergency situations to assist during daylight hours.
Click the images below to see PDFs with more advice, or visit ontario.ca/bearwise for tips on how to prevent human-bear encounters and avoid attracting bears.
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