British Columbia municipalities have called for the province to reactivate its Bear Smart Community Program, according to a September 17 announcement from the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative. Y2Y says the Union of British Columbia Municipalities adopted the resolution unanimously.
The Port Moody proposal, EB15 in UBCM’s 2026 resolutions book, asks the province to restore staff and funding to administer and expand the program.
Applications remain paused
The resolution is a request to the provincial government. When checked September 20, the province’s official Bear Smart page still said applications were not being processed and that communities would be advised when that changed. It did not give a reopening date.
The program is voluntary. It recognizes communities that meet criteria designed to reduce human bear conflicts and the number of bears killed as a result. The provincial page lists 12 communities that have attained the designation.
Y2Y’s statement points to bear resistant waste bins, electric fencing and public education as prevention tools. Its account of the vote comes from an organization advocating for the program’s restoration.
Advice for residents this fall
A September 17 notice from the Village of Pemberton gives residents practical steps they can take now: secure garbage and other food attractants, give bears space, and keep dogs leashed and under control. The village also advises respecting wildlife warning signs and never approaching or feeding a bear.
Sources
How we reported this: The proposal text and application status were checked against official records. Y2Y supplies the report of the vote; the resolutions book issued before the convention is not a voting record. Sources differ on when the pause began, so this article does not assign it a start date.