The following letter was sent to the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) and copied to Coast Reporter.
I am confused about the information coming out of the SCRD about bear-proof garbage cans. There are major discrepancies between what Gerald Shaffer told the community and what conservation officer Dean Miller heard in his conversation with you after putting down the aggressive bear that went after ours and our neighbour's garbage cans (placed roadside for pick-up) in the middle of the day.
What we are not confused about is wanting bear-proof garbage cans. We were willing to pay for three last September (offered to prepay) and are still willing to pay for three now. Two neighbours have had buildings broken into by bears. We are no longer comfortable keeping our garbage can inside the house at night.
Then Bear Aware co-ordinator Shaffer had stated that the waste management company had agreed to service the 77L container. Now I am told that they will only be serviced if the lids are unscrewed.
The bear that snatched our neighbour's garbage can off the side of the road at 10:30 a.m. on garbage day is now dead. Its sibling came back the following Tuesday (garbage day) and had to be chased off.
Doing nothing will only end up with more dead bears and greater costs to the taxpayer. Attending officers along with four RCMP cruisers and a conservation truck were involved. I wonder how many bear-proof garbage cans could have been purchased with this expenditure?
If the SCRD is not willing to fulfill the service offered to the community last September, at least have the courtesy to notify the community of the change.
Robert Corlett, Gibsons
