Queen’s Park is expanding the spring bear hunt in a bid to protect the public and boost tourism.

Natural Resources and Forestry Minister Bill Mauro announced Friday a controversial pilot project that allows people to hunt black bears from May 1 to June 15 will continue for the next four years.

“Bear-related public concerns are very real for people living in northern and central Ontario and we are committed to assisting those communities to deal with this problem,” Mauro said in a statement.

The minister said that “science shows one of the biggest influences on the number of human-bear encounters is the availability of natural food sources.”

Last year’s harsh winter and late May frost harmed blueberry bushes, which forced hungry bears to move closer to homes and cottages.

With up to 105,000 black bears in the province, that can prove dangerous.

Mauro said under the expanded “pilot project,” which has been going on since 2014, it will still be illegal to hunt cubs and mother bears with cubs with those who flout the law facing fines of as much as $25,000 and up to one year in jail.

Licensed hunters will only be allowed to kill one bear each year and there will be restrictions on baiting the animals. That could help tourism in parts of the province.

Bait cannot be placed within 500 metres of any public building or within 200 metres of a road or recreational trail.

Nor can it be located within 500 metres of a home or cottage without written permission from the owner.

Most Canadian provinces allow both spring and fall bear hunts.

Former Progressive Conservative premier Mike Harris stopped Ontario’s spring bear hunt before the 1999 election under pressure from animal rights groups.

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The Liberals finally reinstated it — albeit as a test program — after rural residents complained of safety issues.

Animal activists complain a spring bear hunt is cruel because it comes shortly after winter hibernation and can result in orphaned cubs.