WILDSAFEBC program returns to SLRD

Regional District and WildSafeBC partner to deliver outreach and education programs

Pemberton, BC – Building on the momentum from previous years, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) is once again partnering with WildSafeBC to promote wildlife awareness in communities throughout the region.

For the fourth year in a row, the SLRD and WildSafeBC will work together to deliver initiatives with the goal of preventing conflicts with wildlife and providing residents with information to keep themselves, and wildlife, safe.

“We’re pleased to be able to work with WildSafeBC to offer this important educational program in the SLRD,” said Russell Mack, SLRD Electoral Area C Director, and Chair of the Electoral Area Directors (EAD) Committee. “Consistency is important. We’ve been working with WildSafeBC to run this program in the SLRD for several years now, and we have gained a lot of momentum. It’s important to continue with that work.”

This year, Elise Pullar joins the team as the SLRD’s WildSafeBC coordinator. From mid-May through November, Pullar will be in SLRD communities to deliver a variety of programs including Bear Spray workshops, the electric fence cost-share program, wildlife awareness and safety presentations and various public outreach activities.

Pullar said they are looking forward to getting out into the community and continuing the work that has been initiated in recent years. “Most wildlife conflicts can be avoided,” they said. “The actions we take in our communities have an impact on wildlife in the region. Education and outreach programs like WildSafeBC help to remind all of us of the steps we can take to eliminate human-wildlife conflicts, and keep us all safe.”

SLRD residents are reminded of the Regional District’s Wildlife Attractant bylaw, in place to regulate proper management of wildlife attractants.

WildSafeBC’s Wildlife Alert Reporting Program (WARP) data shows areas where wildlife has been reported indicating to residents and users of those areas that attractants such as garbage, compost and recycling should be secured to keep those animals from staying in and around the community. Garbage, compost and recycling are a leading cause of human-bear conflicts in the SLRD.

To prevent bears from accessing residential waste, residents are reminded to store waste in a wildlife-resistant container or enclosure located on the property that is suitable for the amount of refuse generated and is kept clean, secure and in good working condition.

Wildlife-resistant containers should only be placed to the curb on the morning of collection and during collection hours. If residents are supplied with a bear-resistant cart, then please note these are bear-resistant and not bear-proof, and it is always preferable to store them indoors. If an indoor location is not available, then carts should be secured, by a chain, to a solid post or other object to prevent them from being dragged away. Carts should be kept closed and secured.

WildSafeBC and the SLRD will continue to provide wildlife activity news and tips through social media channels as the season progresses. Follow @WildSafeBCSquamishLillooetRD on Facebook.

Wildlife conflicts can be reported to the Conservation Officer Service at 1-877-952-7277. Residents should also report bear, cougar, coyote, or wolf sightings in any urban area. Reports are uploaded daily to the WildSafeBC Wildlife Alert Reporting Program (WARP) at: www.wildsafebc.com/warp

Elise Pullar
WildSafeBC SLRD Coordinator
Telephone: 604-894-6371 ext. 250
Email: slrd@wildsafebc.com

WildSafeBC is grateful for the generous support from its funders, including the SLRD, the British Columbia Conservation Foundation and the BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

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About the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District

Located in southwestern BC, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) is a local government federation consisting of four member municipalities (the District of Lillooet, the District of Squamish, the Village of Pemberton and the Resort Municipality of Whistler) and four unincorporated, rural electoral areas (A, B, C, and D). Headquartered in Pemberton, which is the approximate geographic centre of the region, the SLRD delivers a wide range of local, regional and sub-regional services to approximately 50,496 residents (2021 Census as certified by the Minister of Municipal Affairs).

The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District is found within the traditional territories of several First Nations, including the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), St'át'imc and Lil'wat. Small parts of the SLRD also overlap with the traditional territories of the Stó:lō, Tsleil-Waututh, Nlaka'pamux, Tsilhqot'in, and Secwepemc Nations. While the SLRD does not provide direct services to the residents of the First Nations communities located within the region, the organization is committed to enhancing relations with the Indigenous communities and First Nations within whose territories the SLRD operates.